Goal Getters / August

It really has been a while, friends! I took a long, long break from blogging to deal with an incredibly tough semester, some personal issues, and a bit of disillusionment with some of the directions blogging has moved in the last three years since I started this blog. I can't guarantee that I'm back for good, but I've missed blogging enough to give it another shot. 

That said, I think my attitude towards blogging has shifted quite significantly. For awhile, I was focused on getting products and sponsored posts and certain stats and things like that. When I was taking my blog break, I realized that I didn't miss any of that. I didn't miss the validation of having readers or the free things that I would receive here and there. I missed writing and discussing and publishing my thoughts. Blogging helps me value my intentions and organize my thoughts.

That said, I'm really not sure what this blog is going to look like in the next few months. But I suppose I'll find out as time moves along! Here's a quick update of what life has been like lately...

- I studied abroad this summer! I was in Lille, France, studying French, and then followed the program up with some solo travels to England, Belgium, and Iceland (holy beautiful!!). 

- I'm in Michigan for the last few weeks of summer and then I'll be moving back to Florida for my JUNIOR YEAR! After a very stressful and emotionally draining spring semester, I'm finally excited for the opportunities of this coming semester. I'm really looking forward to some of the classes I'm taking (beekeeping! resource conservation! sustainable ecotourism!) and that I'll be living with my best bud (hey g!). 

That's really about it! And in the spirit of getting back to tradition here on the blog, I wanted to share my August goals! Really, these are my pre-school-year goals...so my goals for the next three weeks! And also, I really love reading about other people's goals so if you have a blog and write about goals, leave your links in the comments so I can check them out! 

AUGUST GOALS :

+ put away my phone for two full hours every day. It might not sound like much, but honestly, I'm a little too connected to my phone. Part of my issue with blogging was that I felt like it made me so dependent on technology, not only to write my posts, but to check stats and update social media, etc. I'm really trying to eliminate a lot of the extraneous tasks of blogging like social media, but I still waste way too much time on my phone. 

+ read for fifteen minutes every day. This summer, I've really started reading a lot! I've always loved reading but haven't made it much of a priority over the last few years. I've finally given in to less traditional reading formats like ebooks and audiobooks and it has honestly made all the difference. I especially love listening to audiobooks while driving or jogging or while waiting in line. I want to keep up this habit!

+ start a short morning strength routine. I've been running a lot this summer, but without the gym nearby, my strength training has definitely suffered a little bit. I plan to put together a 10-15 minute routine of arm, leg, and core exercises just to start my day on a strong note!

+ read one chapter of scripture every weekday. I currently am working through the book of James with my boyfriend H. I'm finding that one chapter per weekday is really manageable and if I miss a day, I just catch up on the weekends. 

That's all I've got for now! Now I need your help - book recommendations, advice on reducing dependence on technology, or links to your goal posts! Add 'em below.

A Little Life Update

Well hey y'all! I'm alive!

I know I made a lot of plans for this blog at the beginning of the year as far as series and link-ups and posts to come. But as I'm sure you know, not all plans end up coming about.

The last few weeks have been insanely tough on me. I deeply underestimated the difficulties of my classes this semester and have basically been having 70 to 80 hour weeks if you include my classes, studying and working two jobs.

I can't do it all. 

That's been a hard lesson for me to learn. I've always believed that if you work hard, things will always, always work out. But in all honesty, there's just not enough time to make that happen. I've had to reprioritize and regroup. I'm trying to pull myself together and set myself up for success in the future.

Don't worry - I'm not quitting the blog. I'm just letting you know that things are going to be quieter around here! My goal is to post at least once a week here, but to make sure to be reading and commenting on other blogs as well.

But let me update you on a few bits of my life in the meantime. :)

1. My hedgehog Flora has been doing so well. I love her so much, I just have to mention her! I've always loved animals but at the same time, I think people who call their pets their children are a little weird. But no, I get it with Flora. She's basically my child. I miss her when I'm not at home and I always want to talk about her and the cool thing she's doing these days. So...to anyone who's had to hear a little too much about her I'M SORRY I JUST LOVE HER. And she's cuter than you.

2. I've been trying to work on my cooking skills lately. I've mastered a lot of the basics, but my problem is that I want to try new recipes, but I don't want to buy a lot of ingredients that will go mostly unused and sit around in my pantry. Do you have any favorite recipes? Feel free to share any Pinterest boards in the comments so I can follow!

3. Because I've been SO busy and stressed with classwork this semester, I'm trying to be really intentional with how I spend my 'rewind time'. I'm hoping to do some more reading in the upcoming weeks. Have you read any good books lately? Give me recommendations!

I'll be (hopefully!) back with some more posts. Thanks for reading! :)

Health Goals / #BeBold2016 Link-Up

Hi guys! Sorry I've been so absent lately! It's really turning out to be quite a busy, frantic semester already and I'm a little bit overwhelmed with all my schoolwork. I knew my classes would be harder than ever but two in particular are really kicking my booty. I'm hoping to still post regularly this semester, but in all honesty, blogging is priority number #37 after work and classes and friends and family.

In other news before we get onto the fun stuff, I've finally gotten a pet hedgehog, which I've been wanting to do for months now. Her name is Flora and she is the sweetest little nugget in the world. I'm sure you'll be seeing more of her around here! Also, just because I'm silly, she already has her own instagram, @florathehedgehog.

Isn't she cute? Anyways, on to the link-up for this week. Just a reminder! This link-up is hosted by me (duh), Gina, Catherine, Christina and Kate. We would love if you'd head over and visit all the blogs--say hi! I know I've discovered a couple new blogs this week that I'll definitely be reading for awhile...maybe you will too! Let's review what the #BeBold2016 link-up is all about!

What are we writing about?

In the past weeks, we all wrote our own posts about our word or focus for the year and shared them here on your hosts' blogs. Then, we applied our focus to setting blogging goals. This week, we'll be applying the focus to our health goals. And then finally, next week on January 29th, we're chatting about personal goals. By that time, I guarantee you'll be super ready to put those goals into action for February and the rest of this year!

What do I do?

If you are a blogger, you can write your own post responding to the prompt for each week. Starting the Friday of each week, you can add your own post in the link up (the third one is below!). If you are not a blogger, we'd still love to hear from you! Leave your responses down in the comments.

No matter if you're a blogger or not, we'd love for you to take some time and check out some of the other awesome bloggers joining in this project (especially the hosts!). Leave a comment, send a tweet (use #BeBold2016!), or just take some time to check out some new blogs. You might find a new favorite!

My health + wellness goals for 2016:

It's really easy, when considering goals and health together, to immediately think about exercise routines + weight loss. And that kind of thing will make an appearance to some extent, but health is so much more than that. Real, holistic wellness comes from the mind and the body both being at their best + I want to reflect that in my goals.

MENTAL HEALTH GOALS:

/ Choose to speak positively about myself. Whether it's my body or my productivity or my performance in something, it's so easy for me to get swept up in a quicksand of self-destruction and unkind talk to myself. 

/ Continue to be a voice for mental health concerns on my campus.

/ Try to do one activity every day that relaxes me and makes me feel happy. Lately, this has been spending time with Flora! But it also can be coloring or reading or going for a walk.

/ A few other private goals. :)

PHYSICAL HEALTH GOALS:

/ Start logging my workouts on Fitocracy again. Fitocracy is a fitness app on my phone that lets you record your workouts and "level up" so to speak. It's helpful for me to remember what weights I used to lift + what weights I lift now.

/ Make a plan before I get to the gym. Lately, my problem has been that I get to the gym without a clear plan + then I just sort of amble around and do random things. I never feel like I get a great workout or like I use my time efficiently, except when I have a plan ready before I walk in the doors.

/ Incorporate fitness into my daily routine, outside of "workouts". Whenever I need to take a break from studying, a couple tuck jumps or a set of push-ups is great to rejuvenate + wake up my brain before getting back to work.

/ Take one group fitness class a week. I teach group fitness, but somehow I rarely make it to other instructors' classes anymore. I love group fitness and I want to support my coworkers.

/ Go dairy-free for a certain period of time. I absolutely love pretty much any dairy products. I love milk and cheese and creamy things and ice cream. Calcium is good and all, but I think the amount of dairy I eat may not be making me feel the greatest. I've also heard anecdotal evidence that limiting dairy can help clear up skin. I want to do a little more research on this before I do a dairy fast, but I'm curious if it would help me feel my best!

/ Eat a vegetable at lunch and dinner every day. I know, I know. I should be better about this.

Now it's your turn!

2016 Blog Goals / #BeBold2016 Link-Up

Hey y'all! Welcome back to the second installment of our #BeBold2016 link-up! I have loooooved reading through all of your posts that you shared in the link-up last week + I'm so happy that so many of you wanted to join in! I especially enjoyed reading the posts written by Chelsea @ Heartnatured, Cait @ Cait's Cozy Corner and by Becky @ Eliorah.

Just a reminder! This link-up is hosting by me (duh), Gina, Catherine, Christina and Kate. We would love if you'd head over and visit all the blogs--say hi! I know I've discovered a couple new blogs this week that I'll definitely be reading for awhile...maybe you will too! Let's review what the #BeBold2016 link-up is all about!

What are we writing about?

Last week, we all wrote our own posts about our word or focus for the year and shared them here on your hosts' blogs. This week, we're going to be applying our focus to setting blogging goals. Next week, January 22nd, we'll be applying the focus to our health goals. And then finally, on January 29th, we're chatting about personal goals. By that time, I guarantee you'll be super ready to put those goals into action for February and the rest of this year!

What do I do?

If you are a blogger, you can write your own post responding to the prompt for each week. Starting the Friday of each week, you can add your own post in the link up (the second one is below!). If you are not a blogger, we'd still love to hear from you! Leave your responses down in the comments.

No matter if you're a blogger or not, we'd love for you to take some time and check out some of the other awesome bloggers joining in this project (especially the hosts!). Leave a comment, send a tweet (use #BeBold2016!), or just take some time to check out some new blogs. You might find a new favorite!

My blogging goals for 2016:

In case you missed last week's installment of #BeBold2016, my word of the year that I've chosen is "mindful". I know that word has a lot of associations and connotations that come along with it, so I would love if you'd go read that post to see what I really mean by being "mindful."

One part of mindfulness + this practice of being aware relates to the process of learning to recognize how things affect the way I feel. Obviously, we can't avoid all pain and negativity in our lives, but if something trifling is causing significant negative emotions...why would you keep it in your life? 

So tying that back into blogging, I'm connecting the idea of "blog goals" + my word "mindful" to make what I'm calling an "ungoal". And what I mean by that is...I don't want to make blogging goals. 

Blogging is just a hobby for me. I don't make any money from my blog right now. I don't get anything tangible out of it. And I enjoy it, at least 80% of the time. But y'all fellow bloggers are gonna give me an amen on this: blogging can suck your energy + free time down to nothing because it's a hobby that keeps asking for more of you.

In blog circles, it isn't enough just to write a couple of posts a week. We're told (by each other!) that we'll never "succeed" as bloggers, whatever that means, if we don't focus on SEO and coding and responding to every comment and all. Some people really enjoy all those details. I really don't.

Maybe that means that I "shouldn't" be a blogger. Maybe that means I'll never be "successful" as a blogger. But that's not my goal. I blog because it makes me feel heard and it makes me feel useful and because I've met so many lovely people because of it. I think that's worth it to me.

If I had to make some concrete goals to go along with this, I would delete my Twitter + Instagram pages. Social media doesn't fill me up; it empties me out. I want to stopping reading the blogs I feel like I should enjoy or the blogs I read out of bitterness or jealousy that they somehow are "beating" me. I want to feel a little freer.

My blogging ungoal for this year is to allow blogging to be whatever feels best. To stay away from those posts that tell me all of the things I'm doing wrong. To comment on other blogs because I care about having a conversation, not because I think it'll bring in new traffic. As it relates to blogging, I will do whatever continues to bring me joy and satisfaction and cheer + skip out on the bits that bore me and make me feel less-than. That's my goal.

Now it's your turn!

Your blogging goals might be (and probably are) totally different than mine. That's totally cool, dude! I wanna read them anyways. Add your link to the widget below + I'll be reading! 

3 Habits That Make Me Less Stressed

Let me just come right out and say that I know that being a college student isn't the most stressful thing in the world, by far. I'm not the president or dependent on a paycheck or trying to support a family. But...sometimes it feels crazy stressful. 

I bet all of you know what I'm talking about, whether you're in a career or you're a mom or a student like me. Life doesn't really spare anyone from stress. Really though, I've come to believe that some stress is a good thing. Stress makes me work hard + it pushed me to stay on top of things. But...stress can also be rough on our mental health when we have more than we can manage. 

I use these three habits to help manage my stress levels.

Every day (or most days, at least), there are a couple different things that I do that help me keep that stress + anxiety in check so that I can control it instead of allowing it to control me. 

The first thing that I do is that I clean my room every night. (Mom, if you're reading this, be proud.) I don't make things perfect; sometimes I leave things out on my desk or floor. But I at least try to do the basics. I'll pick up any clothes from the bathroom floor and tidy up my desk and floor for five or ten minutes. I've found that cleaning a little bit each night keeps things from getting totally out of control. Plus, if I don't clean my room at night, I actually get a little bit stressed out when I wake up in the morning and look around me room. Physical clutter can definitely feel like mental clutter. 

Secondly, I'm totally shameless about telling people 'no'. Whether it's someone asking to go out or someone asking for a favor, I really try to focus on my priorities + cut out the things that just...aren't. There's a great book called The Best Yes that talks a lot about this idea. The author, Lysa TerKeurst, teaches that we only have so much time + attention to give out. Eventually, our reserves will run out if we don't prioritize what we spend them on. My favorite idea from the book is that if we say yes to everything that comes our way, we won't be able to say yes to some really great opportunities that come later, aka the best yes. 

And lastly, I try to make sure that every single day, I do something that makes me happy. It's as simply as that. Sometimes I get lazy + other than studying or working, all I do is watch Netflix. But as much as I like Netflix, it doesn't fill up my happiness tank. That requires a little more intention. Usually, I try to read a book or journal or find some new music or cook something new every day. 

How do you control your stress levels?

My Word for 2016 / #BeBold2016 Link-up

WOOHOO! Today's the day!

I'm so excited to be one of your hosts for the Be Bold in 2016 linkup with Kate, Gina, Christina and Cathetine! These ladies all have amazing, inspiring blogs and I can't wait to see what they come up with for our prompts. But even more than that, I can't wait to see what you have to say on our topics for the next few weeks.

What are our topics again?

You can read the original post to see allll the exciting info, but in short, today we are chatting about our 'word' or phrase to focus on for 2016. Next Friday, (January 15th) we'll be talking about how this word applies to our blogging goals. The following two weeks, starting on Friday, we'll be applying our chosen focus to our health goals (Jan. 22) and our personal goals (Jan. 29). 

What do I do?

If you are a blogger, you can write your own post responding to the prompt for each week. Starting the Friday of each week, you can add your own post in the link up (the first one is below!). If you are not a blogger, we'd still love to hear from you! Leave your responses down in the comments.

No matter if you're a blogger or not, we'd love for you to take some time and check out some of the other awesome bloggers joining in this project (especially the hosts!). Leave a comment, send a tweet (use #BeBold2016!), or just take some time to check out some new blogs. You might find a new favorite!

My focus for 2016:

My word for 2016 is MINDFUL. 

When I first played with the idea of choosing the word 'mindful', I was hesitant. Especially in self-improvement/wellness circles, the idea of mindfulness has become so sexy and trendy to the point that it seems cliche. It makes me think of people who promise that if you mediate every day, then you'll find true love and a six-figure salary and everything you ever wanted in a month. 

That's not what I'm talking about. 

Being mindful means checking in with myself. It means accepting the bad emotions just as readily as the good emotions. It means basking in the fact that I'm very talented at somethings, but also identifying my human failures and flaws.

It means recognizing when I just can't work anymore and I need to spend time nurturing myself...but it also means recognizing when I have more potential than I'm putting to use. It's cutting myself slack when necessary, but recognizing when I am capable of taking up a challenge. 

I want to be present in the facts of what my current situation is at all times, accepting them as truth before I decide how to handle them. I want to control how I act, instead of reacting to things that happen around me.

My goal to live by the word 'mindful' means I'll be spending less time consumed by technology, people who aren't kind, and other distractions. Life is good + it's time I give it a little more intention.

Your turn!

Join in the link-up below or leave a comment telling me about your word or focus for the month! I can't wait to read what you all have to say. I'll be reading every single one of the posts in the link-up and I hope to comment on most, if not all of them. Each week, I'll be sharing a favorite (or a few favorite) post from the previous prompt so check back in next week to see my fave posts--maybe it'll be yours!

An InLinkz Link-up

Curated / 22

This year, I'm really hoping to bring these Curated posts back, on a biweekly/monthly basis. I love reading other bloggers post collections of inspiration and links and all. I know some of you do too! 

Right now, I've got that somewhat unsettling mixture of excitement and anxiety sitting in my belly because tomorrow is my first day of the new semester! I feel like I should be used to this by now but for some reason, every semester I get anxious, convinced I won't be able to handle the workload. But, as my boyfriend H reminds me, I have a 100% survival rate so far! So even though I'm taking some tough classes, it'll all be fine in the end.

Just a reminder! This Friday, we're starting the #BeBold2016 link-up. Join me and a bunch of other awesome ladies to kick off the New Year.

Here's a little recap of what I've been reading/listening to/thinking, etc.

• 7 genius slow cooker recipes [MindBodyGreen]
• Let's stop being embarrassed that we want to be better [Yes and Yes]
• 4 reasons to savor solitude [Just Bee]
• One letter can change your life...or someone else's [Alexandra Franzen]
• 10 Bible verses for when you feel less-than [What You Make It]
• Why I take the elevator instead of the stairs at the gym [Gretchen Rubin]
• 26 tiny things you need to start doing for yourself this year [Thought Catalog]
• One little word that dramatically changed my prayers [Bronwyn Lea]

You might have missed...

• 48 daily habits to make in 2016
• A simple trick to fall asleep faster
• 4 reasons to get up early

I feel like when you live in Florida, it's so hard to find clothes that feel seasonally appropriate and wintery without being overkill for our warm winters. So I pretty much treat winter here as an extension of autumn, at least wardrobe-wise. I've been living in anything tan, white, grey or black these days. I especially love this cozy flannel top and these gorgeous loafers. And if only I lived somewhere cold, I would be alllll over this beautiful two-tone coat.

I've been working hard on addressing all of the envelopes for my sister's wedding invitations. As much as I love calligraphy...I so love the idea of these calligraphy stamps to get the same feel without the time commitment!

Some good travel! Last summer I was so lucky to be able to travel all over Germany and Austria and the Czech Republic...but I'm ready for more!! I'm hoping to spend some time in France soon to polish up my French + I've been eyeing the lovely city of Lille.

How fun are these wooden engraved pins? I love all the little messages, especially the "Do More Fun Stuff." What a great (and cute!) reminder.

I love this reminder from Jill Makes. You can order it as a print on her etsy--I love it so much that I just may!

What have you been loving this week?

Sleep Savvy: A New Series

Ahh! Still can't believe it's 2016. WOO. I love the new year. 

Anyways....the last few weeks have been lovely. I've been home from school, with my family in Michigan. It's been delightfully lazy and relaxing but I've quickly realized that I have a large problem--I've ruined my sleep cycle. 

Maybe you can sympathize with this. Whether it's due to work or classes or just preference, you probably usually have some sort of a sleep routine (hopefully). Really, it's a healthy habit to have. The more consistently we go to bed and get up at the same time, the more rested and healthy we are overall. 

THE PROBLEM:

But I know that at least for me, winter break can wreak havoc on that carefully constructed routine. During the semester, I got in bed around 10pm, read or watched a little TV, fell asleep between 10:45 and 11:15 most nights and woke up at 7:15am. It really was quite lovely. I rarely felt drowsy at all during my 8am classes and I was perfectly ready to sleep at the same time every night. And best of all, I naturally woke up without an alarm between 7:30 and 8 on Saturday mornings.

Thanks to winter break though, I've been going to bed anywhere between 10pm and 1am and I've been waking up between 8:30 and 11am. 11am. I am not a fan of this. Maybe you're in the same boat + you're ready to get your sleep cycle back on track.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

If you look at my current sleep habits above, I'm getting at least 8 hours a night, sometimes even way more. So in theory, I should be feeling rested and at my peak. But...I'm not. And I started wondering why + did a little research. 

You've probably heard of your "circadian rhythm", which is basically like a clock inside your body that regulates everything inside you that corresponds with your day, which encompasses a lot more than you think. Your circadian rhythm is in charge of how rested you feel, how productive you are, a lot of the hormones your body produces and your brain activity. 

That's a big deal! So when our bodies don't have a consistent sleep schedule off of which to build our circadian rhythm, we get out of whack in a lot of ways. Even if I'm getting eight hours of sleep every night, moving my bedtime around actually ends up affecting my mood and my productivity. 

SO WHAT NOW?

I'll tell you! Over the next few weeks, I'll be taking various sleep strategies--mostly ones you've probably heard before but I'm sure some are new. I'll be focusing on three main areas: getting up with an alarm, falling asleep quickly, and knowing when and how to take quality naps. In the next week, I'll take a look at that first idea--getting up with an alarm. I'll be testing a few different alarm apps and some strategies recommended by sleep experts and reporting my results right here on the blog.

WANT IN?

Join me! I won't be hosting an official link-up (but if you want to join a link-up, check out #BeBold2016!) but you can write your own related post and leave it in the comments or just come read my post. I'll be posting every other Tuesday. Here's the schedule of topics.

January 19: Waking Up (with an alarm clock or otherwise!)

February 2: Falling Asleep

February 16: Taking Naps

How do you maintain a good sleep schedule? Any tricks I need to try?

Be Bold in 2016 / A Goal-Setting Link-Up

Hi blogger friends! Happy New Year! As we've been chatting about New Year's resolutions and habits for 2016, I think now is a great time to mention the Be Bold in 2016 Blogger Link-Up! I know we all love goal-setting, and what's better than starting off the year focusing on our goals as a community of bloggers? With the Be Bold link-up, you can get the motivation you need to focus on what will define your year + the support to get you there! So get pumped to meet new bloggers + smash those goals.

WHEN IS BE BOLD 2016?

Be Bold 2016 will be a linkup happening every Friday in January, starting January 8. Write or schedule your posts for Fridays and the linkup will stay open all week!

WHAT ARE THE TOPICS FOR BE BOLD 2016?

We will be talking about our goals and setting intentions for the new year. A lot of times we come up with our goals all at once, but we want to break it down for this year, so we set goals intentionally keeping in mind the context and focus of our year. Here are the prompts for the linkup!

January 8: What is your word or focus for 2016?

January 15: How does this word apply to your blogging goals for 2016?

January 22: How does the word apply to your health goals for 2016?

January 29: How does this word apply to your personal goals for 2016?

WHAT IS A LINK UP AND HOW DO I JOIN?

A link-up is a widget that will be on my blog and all of the hosts' blogs (see below) open all week, each week, for each prompt. All you have to do is write your post on the topic and then pop over to one of our blogs and add your link - it's easy! We'll open it on the date above for each prompt but feel free to add it any time that week. Don't worry about choosing which host's blog to join. It'll automatically pop up on all of our blogs, sharing your post with all of our readers. How cool?!

AND WHO ARE THE LOVELY HOSTS FOR BE BOLD 2016?

Hint: I'm one of them ;) I'm joining up with a number of amazing, inspiring ladies in the blog world to lead this link-up. Please check out these stellar gals + let them know you're joining the link-up!

Kate / A Thought and a Half

Gina / Gina Alyse

Allie / Call Me Sassafras

Catherine / The Blissful Mind

Christina / The Social Butterfly Gal

But this list isn't complete without YOU joining us. Please write posts along with the prompts, check out other bloggers joining the link up + leave some comment love all around! Use the hashtag #BeBold2016 to make sure we see your social media posts.

Can't wait to have you join in! See you on January 8th for the first post!

48 Daily Habits to Make in 2016

As I've been noodling around with the idea of New Year's resolutions, I've been considering the idea of trying to add new habits into your life. In other words, focusing on adding baby steps every day instead of focusing on some big unrealistic end goal with no thought on how to get from A to B. So I've scoured a few sites for ideas and come up with a few of my own and come up with a list of habits for you to consider. Which of these habits will you try to add in 2016?

Health/Wellness:

• Take a walk right after lunch every day.
• Put away technology at least one hour before you want to go to bed.
• Drink a glass of water first thing every morning.
• Meditate for a few minutes when you wake up in the morning.
• Take a 15-20 minute nap every day.
• Do a few sun salutations or a few minutes of stretching when you wake up and before bed.
• Park in a far-away parking spot for work or class.
• Do a certain number of push-ups, sit-ups or squats every morning or evening.
• Wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day.
• Plan your meals for the week every Sunday or right before you go grocery shopping.
• Brush your teeth 2-3 times a day + floss daily. 
• Try a new food every week.

Happiness:

• Keep a gratitude journal.
• Give a genuine compliment every day.
• Choose an affirmation to repeat to yourself every day.
• Spend at least 15 minutes outside every day, no matter the weather.
• Block social media during the weekdays, or even just one day a week.
• Every night, congratulate yourself on your achievements of the day (even small ones count!)
• Watch the sun rise or set once a week.
• Set a certain "technology-free" hour every day.
• Keep a daily journal.

Productivity/College/School:

• Write a to-do list when you get out of bed every morning.
• Plan your schedule for the following day before you go to bed.
• Take active breaks every 45-60 minutes to stretch or jog in place.
• Spend one hour a night reviewing the material learned that day.
• Or review material every morning before class.
• Spend fifteen minutes tidying your bedroom or workspace.

Faith:

• Read scripture for 15, 30 or 60 minutes a day.
• Memorize one Bible verse a week (practice every day).
• Doodle or draw phrases from scripture when you need a break.
• Practice praying at certain times of the day (when you wake up, before bed, before meals).
• Take meditative walks, focusing on a piece of scripture or praying as you walk.
• Keep a daily list of prayer requests and praises.
• Check in with an accountability partner daily to give and receive support for your spiritual goals.

Relationships/Social:

• Talk to one person you don't know every day, even if it's just small talk while waiting in line or a quick hello.
• Call someone far away every week.
• Text someone every day to let them know you're thinking of them.
• Write a hand-written letter every week.

Finances:

• Give away one thing you don't need every week.
• Make a budget and review your spending habits weekly.
• Instead of eating out, cook at home.
• Put a certain amount into savings as soon as you receive a paycheck.
• Save a certain amount of money every week.

Blogging:

• Spend a certain amount of time blogging every night.
• Plan your posts for the week every Sunday. 
• Comment on a few blog posts every day.
• Share someone else's blog post on social media.

Let me know in the comments if you plan to work on any of these habits (or any others!) in the coming year! Or, just tell me about your goals or resolutions!

New Cheer / A New Year's Playlist

I have a ridiculous love affair with Christmas music. I'm that irritating, overly-excited person that starts listening to Christmas music as soon as Halloween is over (I don't even wait for Thanksgiving!). Really, if you took a peek through my iTunes library, I have multiple playlists for Christmas music...because sometimes you want old Bing Crosby stuff and sometimes you want modern She & Him Christmas songs. 

That said, I always felt like other holidays, especially New Year's were a little lacking in the musical festivities. But I looked around last year and this year and put together a playlist of music that is (for the most part) specifically celebrating New Year's! 

Whether you're hosting a big sparkly party or just watching the ball drop on your couch writing out your resolutions, have a listen + have a lovely New Year!

How do you celebrate New Year's??

Do You Make New Year's Resolutions?

I love all things goal-setting related + so naturally I really love the start of something new, whether it's a semester, a year of school or a calendar year. I especially love New Year's because it usually is the start of a new semester of school and a new calendar year. Usually, I love New Year's Resolutions, making goals, "intentions", picking a word for the year, etc. 

But over the last couple years, I've become a little bit disenchanted with the idea of New Year's Resolutions, as I think a lot of people are. Forbes recently said that only 8% of people really achieve their New Year's Resolutions. And really...that's not a very good success rate. 

I don't want to give up on resolutions just yet. I don't know if that huge number of people failing is because people make unrealistic goals or don't have good motivation or what, but we shouldn't view resolutions as something that can't be successful. The new year is a great time to look back on the past year + consider how we can improve ourselves in the next one! 

Over the next few days, I'll definitely be thinking (and posting!) about how I want to go about my goals for the next year. In the meantime, I'd love to hear your thoughts on all things New Year's Resolutions related!

12 Days of Love Letters

For someone who spends an unfortunately significant amount of time on the computer, largely blogging and such, I really do love returning to the simple art of letter writing. Growing up, my mom was always a huge believer that thank you notes should be written as soon as possible after birthday parties and such + I think that was the beginning of letter writing for me.

When H and I started dating in high school, I would spent summers on the other side of the country + we started writing letters. It did feel silly sometimes, half of the time we told each other the news in the letter before the letter even got there. 

But the more letters we wrote, the more special they became for me (and hopefully him as well!). I loved getting to see his handwriting and the way he leaves out apostrophes and the dots on his 'i's sometimes. We started doodling--he would draw me jellyfish or funny stick figures and I would try to write our names and addresses in a pretty way. He experimented with different fountain pens and I always love picking out fun cards and stationery. All those little details made our letters more special than just a conversation over text or on the phone. They were gifts, and they became mementos that I still save in a shoebox under my bed.

Just in the past year or two, I've gotten to expand the way I write letters. I started writing letters to my grandmother and my friends at other schools. I sometimes just write notes to friends here with me, just for fun. But one of my favorite letter-related activities is writing letters responding to the requests on MoreLoveLetters.com.

Every two weeks, a few new requests are posted on the website--people of all ages and backgrounds who for whatever reason, need encouragement. They might be recently widowed elderly women or young teenagers dealing with struggles of growing up. But wherever they are in their lives, they could use a little extra encouragement, in the form of a letter from a stranger.

This month, in honor of the holiday season, MLL has been hosting a campaign called 12 Days of Letter Writing. Instead of every two weeks, there is a new request up every single day of someone who really needs that extra support during the Christmas season. I encourage you to read through the requests and choose one (or more!) that resonates with you and take five minutes to send that person a card or a letter. It doesn't have to be fancy--notebook paper is fine!

I chose to write a letter to Vincent, the recipient from Day 1 (though you can still go back at write him!). You can go read his story a little more on the requests page, but in short, Vincent recently lost his wife to postpartum depression, just a short time after the birth of their first child. This year is Vincent's first Christmas without his wife, raising a child on his own. 

I could honestly go on and on about why you should join in on this campaign, but I think you probably understand why this is such an important thing. Lately, I've been trying to focus on giving my attention and my care to other people, even more than gifts or money, this holiday season. I hope you'll do the same.

Let me know if you end up writing a letter to one of the requests or if you have any questions about More Love Letters!

How I'm Choosing to Reframe My Failures

In the past, I never would have called myself a perfectionist. Especially in high school, I was pretty successful, quite honestly, in most of the things I did. As a result, I never had to worry or stress out about messing something up. I'm not sure when exactly that changed, when I stopped forgiving myself for getting a B or taking a lazy day. But I did, and it's changed the way I treat myself.

Sometimes, we need to be real with ourselves about our failures. We can't ignore our mistakes. But at the same time, if we dwell on our mistakes so long that we don't let ourselves fix them...we're only hurting ourselves more. That's what I've been doing lately. I've been beating myself up for anything less than perfection so much that I don't have the energy left to pick myself back up and keep going.

I know some of you probably understand this feeling--especially in finals week, when emotions run high and the threat of failure is sitting in the back of our brain just reminding us that it's a possibility. With all that fear of failure, it's easy to feel like any mistake or flaw is the one that will end it all and make it impossible for us to get back on our path of success. You feel me on this? Like if I spend an hour watching TV when I should be studying, then all of a sudden, I'm telling myself that I'm not a discliplined person, that I'm not going to do well, that I don't have what it takes to have success in life.

That's just not true, none of it.

There are a few things that I've been telling myself instead.

I heard an analogy on Gretchen Ruben's podcast "Happier". On it, she (or someone else, I can't remember) compared our own failures to a chef trying out a new recipe. If a chef, even the most skilled chef in the world, wants to try a new dish, chances are, he or she will try it many times. Cooking it different ways. Trying new ingredients. Plating it differently each time. Every time the chef starts again, they are nixing the last dish they made. But...we wouldn't call that a failure, would we? Because it's a necessary and natural step of the path to making a delicious, new dish.

And it's really the same for us. If we reframe the way we look at our mistakes and failures, we can keep them from stopping us. This is my goal now. Instead of my own mental mistreatment, I try to turn things around and even if I don't believe them at first, repeating these things until I do take them as truth.

Failing means I challenged myself.

Failing means I attempted something above mediocre.

Failure gives me a chance to pick myself up and try again, doing a little better each time.

Failure doesn't not mean I won't succeed in the future.

Failure is teaching me humility and perseverance.

Failure is building a more resilient spirit inside me.

Failure makes the victories all the more triumphant.

Every time I go through this list, a different phrase will resonate with me, and it's probably the same for you. I've been writing them down on a physical piece of paper and posting them right above my desk, because those failures will inevitable continue to come.

How do you deal with feeling like you've failed yourself?

6 Time Management Tips for Finals Week

First off, I feel obligated to say that I have absolutely not been using these tips nearly as much as I should be (oops). Usually, I'm very good about staying on top of tasks and motivating myself but procrastination has been hitting me hard these days. I only have two exams left, one next Tuesday and one on Thursday, but my very last one (organic chemistry) will be a doozy. SO I've started using these strategies to keep me on task with everything I have to do!

+ Split all big, scary tasks into teeny, not-scary tasks. Specifically, take vague tasks and try to make them more concrete by splitting them into individual, specific tasks. I especially like to narrow everything down to tasks that will take at most an hour at a time. For example, instead of telling myself that I have to "study for chemistry", I can split that into the tasks of reviewing notes, redoing problems missed on old exams, doing practice problems and doing a practice exam. Each of those sections can even be narrowed down even more by chapter. This method really helps me not to get overwhelmed by huge tasks by taking things one baby step at a time.

+ Be disciplined in getting rid of distractions. I feel like this is one of those easy-peasy helpers that I know I should do...but for some reason I never do. But I know that getting rid of distractions always makes me more productive. Maybe that means blocking social media and certain websites from your computer, deleting apps on your phone (or turning it off altogether) or even going somewhere else so you're not constantly tempted by the cookie dough in your fridge (and by you, I mean me). I use a great extension for Chrome called StayFocusd. I can block a list of websites for a given time (bloglovin, facebook, pinterest, etc) or go in "nuclear mode" and turn off all internet for a time. It's really helpful to force myself to get away!

+ Staying healthy is the best way to make sure you can use your time productively. I have a friend who gets sick every single semester right before finals week--it's natural! We're stressed, we're probably not taking very good care of ourselves, so naturally our body gets tired and our immune system just can't keep up. But once you're sick or super tired, none of these tips above will help you. Keep your health up by exercising every other day, eating regular healthy meals (no skipping! no late night chocolate/cookies/pizza!) and SLEEPING eight hours a night as much as possible. Y'all. I'm serious. Sleep does not make you lazy. Sleep is a glorious thing.

+ Keep a positive mindset. Sometimes my biggest stumbling block is that I'm horrible at dealing positively with my own failures. If I make a study plan and get distracted and behind, I actually get angry with myself. I get upset and frustrated. But then, I spend so much energy getting mad at myself that I don't have any left to work on that thing that I was supposed to be doing! It becomes a negative cycle. This can alllll be prevented just by reacting kindly to whatever happens. If you don't do as well as you had hoped on something, it's okay. Take a deep breath. You can't change the future but you can keep it from messing up the rest of your day.

+ Build in regular breaks. I aim to take about 15 minutes of break after every 45 minutes of work, but if I'm doing something particularly unpleasant, I might even make that 10 minutes of break for every 30 minutes of work. You can fiddle with it and try to find a ration that feels good without getting lazy. But the trick to this is that you have to be ruthless in the timing. It's just as important to force yourself to take your whole break when it's time as it is to make sure you're working hard during your work period.

+ Take intentionally relaxing/fun/rewarding breaks. When you do get to your break periods, I highly, highly recommend that you not spend it noodling on facebook unless you just really enjoy that. Most likely, it'll feel like wasted time and you'll want to take an even longer break. What I do recommend: reading, coloring, meditating, (sometimes) Netflix, cleaning, cooking, etc.

What are your time management tricks? Any finals tips? Fellow college bloggers/blog readers, come say hi!

4 Reasons to Get Up Early

FINALS.

Just the word strikes a little bit of fear in my heart. My fellow college students reading this right now know what's up.

But amid the craziness, I've managed to make one lovely change over the semester or so: I'm getting up early. Not early early, but a comfortable seven o'clock. I'm lucky in that my first class is at 8:30am. I know it's not what most students would prefer but I've gotten in a smooth routine of productive mornings. And there's nothing that makes me satisfied quite like productive mornings.

I'm one of those people who just has to share when good things happen--I want you to feel the early morning goodness too! But in case you're just not convinced why the heck you should get up early, let me explain why I do.

+ I get alone time. As an introvert (granted a fairly social one), I loooove spending some quality time with myself. It makes me so happy to read, cross-stitch, doodle or even watch Netflix by myself. However, living with a roommates generally makes this difficult. Especially with our schedules, we find that we're often at home at the same time and even though we don't share bedrooms, there's always the temptation to go out and socialize. Which is great, don't get me wrong--I love my roommates. But sometimes, I just need a little quiet time. By getting up early, I have at least half an hour to work on stuff or get ready before anyone else is up and doing things.

+ I have time to plan out my day. The other day, on a Saturday, I made the mistake of staying in bed until 9:45, which sounds fine, until I realized that I needed an hour to shower and get ready and then 30 minutes to allow to get to campus. And to save you from doing the math, I'll tell you that I was almost late to my 10:40am meeting. When I get up early though, I can easily plan out my morning--and even my whole day! I like to write a list of my classes + to-dos for the day, and then figure out where I can fit tasks in my day. I get so much more done!

+ I feel accomplished. This sound silly, I know. BUT we all know that getting up early is hard. Really hard. But when I get up early, I've already done something awesome. It may just be a simple mind trick, but after getting up early, I feel like the rest of my day will be easy. There's something to be said for doing something challenging first thing every day just to remind yourself who's boss (YOU ARE).

+ I make time to do things that I might not otherwise get around to. I know I don't really, but getting early helps me feel like I have a little more time in the day. When I stay up late, I'm rarely productive. But early in the morning, I'm eager to get stuff done. This means I get to write blog posts, read my Bible, read blogs or listen to music. Other days, these things just don't happen + I'm a little less happy because of it.

Do you get up early? Why or why not?

Fun and Pretty Stationery from Etsy

It's no secret that I absolutely love writing letters and with that comes a ridiculous love of pretty stationery and cards. Especially since I've moved far away from the majority of my friends and family, I've found myself going through so many cards, and so I've been on the hunt for some new ones!

As I'm sure many of you are, I'm a huge fan of Etsy because it's full of creative designs that you probably won't find anywhere else and you get to support people who are doing life their own way. I really respect that!

I put together a little collage of some of my favorites + linked to them below. Which are your favorites? Where else do you get cards and stationery? 

Left to right, top to bottom: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

Any of y'all big letter writers? Aren't these adorable!! Don't worry--no sponsorships or affiliate links on these, just super cute cards.

Self-Care Solutions

I was just about to start off this post by saying it's been a busy week...but when is it not a busy week, am I right? Maybe it's just this time of year or this time in my life, but there are so many things in my life that I have to do and so many things that I want to do and it all just kind of adds up. 

And when I'm really busy--even when I'm busy with good things--I've learned that I don't take time to deal with my emotions, whether they're positive or negative. I just keep plugging along, getting things done, checking things off. Which is fine...for a little while. But if I keep up that sort of pattern, eventually, every stress or worry or little hurt that I've bottled up comes out and I have a meltdown because I can't connect to the wifi. 

You know what I mean?

But I actually know how to avoid those meltdowns. I do (the problem is that I don't always do it...)! 

SELF-CARE. That's right, spoil yourself a little. In the middle of everything busy and stressful, I absolutely have to take a break and love on myself a little. 

For awhile, I thought that I didn't have time for self-care, that I was just too busy. But over the last few months especially, I've noticed that when I skip out on taking care of myself, I tend to have those meltdowns or work inefficiently or feel tired and I actually lose time in the long run by not taking breaks. Crazy, right?! Here are a few ways that I like to practice self-care. 

COOK A DECENT MEAL / This one is actually two-fold in its benefits. First off, even though I'm not really a natural at it, I do enjoy cooking. It's very satisfying for me to see a meal come together (and then get to eat it!). But also, it does good for my physical wellbeing too. When I cook food from scratch, I'm so much more likely to make healthy food that I enjoy instead of something unhealthy but convenient. And when I eat healthy food, I feel happy with my choice and I feel physically better in the long run. 

TAKE A NAP / We all know this one, but you have to be careful to do it the right way. Really, a nap longer than twenty or thirty minutes may be doing you more harm than good, especially if it makes you stay up later and messes up your sleep schedule. But on some days, you just need to reboot your day and pretend to start from scratch. On those days, I'll get in bed, put a sleep mask and rain sounds on and set my alarm for 15-25 minutes. It usually refreshes me pretty well + I don't feel groggy!

SPEND TIME WITH A FRIEND / Says the introvert! Well, one on one at least. When I need a break, I might venture out into the living room and find one of my roommates and have a little chat, or I might call H and see how his day is going. To some extent, we can totally care for ourselves by caring about other people.

SPEND TIME IN THE SCRIPTURES / This is definitely something I've been struggling with. But I know that when I make Scripture a priority, I'm that much more prepared to love on myself all day, as well as everyone around me. Scripture is valuable for so many reasons, but one is that it always reminds me of my own value in God's eyes.

DO SOMETHING LAZY / This isn't always the best option as sometimes less lazy options of hobbies (like exercise or doing a fun activity) can be more fulfilling even if they require a little effort. But sometimes, you just need to take a long bath or watch some Netflix or noodle the internet. I think it's really important to consider what sounds the absolute best to you at a given time, not just what sounds the easiest. 

What do you do to take care of yourself?

Linking up with In Its Time.