Tag: journaling

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Fabulous living

Ways to De-Stress

Hello all!

Happy May! I hope you are having a great kickoff to your month. May is one of my favorite months of the year! Not only is it my birthday month, but I love the transition of spring to summer. I love the fresh flowers, the warm summer-like days and the summer foods and drinks and treats. May can also be a busy time of year as the school season is wrapping up and it can be stressful for many parents and children. In those stressful moments, I think it’s important to take time for yourself during those busy times. 

Today’s post is all about ways to decompress and de-stress during the hectic moments of life. I’ve compiled some practical ways that work for me to unwind and de-stress, maybe you will find some work for you or your have your own ways to cope with the busy parts of life.

Whenever I get overwhelmed with work or personal stress, I remind myself to breathe. Taking a few minutes to catch my center myself always puts things in perspective for me. After a few moments of deep breathing, I try to pinpoint my stress and go about finding a solution, that often comes in the form of writing a brain dump of things that have to get done, things that’s stressing me out or worries that I have. When I put everything down on paper, it doesn’t seem as daunting. 

After a few moments of deep breathing, putting things in perspective and writing down a to-do list, I find my stress levels decreasing almost immediately. It shows that a few minutes can make all the difference. 

A brain dump always soothes my mind and puts my stress in perspective

The second part of this post is all about ways to unwind and de-stress. These are different practices that have worked for me and done wonders to lower my stress levels. You may have other ways to destress, but whatever way you unwind, make sure you take the time to put yourself first when life can get to be too much to handle. 

Here’s some ways that I like to relax that work for me and you might find these practices work well for you.

Reading-This is one of my favorite ways to decompress. I love to start or end my day by reading. You can truly escape the world and your stressors for a few minutes with a good book. Reading is one of my favorite hobbies and it brings me joy every day. I like to start my day with some me-time, before the day gets underway and reading is one of the ways I set some time aside for myself. Whether it’s reading several chapters or a few pages, I incorporate it every day.

A great way to unwind or escape.

Prayer-This is always an easy way to calm and center myself, whether it’s a big or little issue that’s bothering me, talking to God always helps puts my fears at ease. I typically pray at the beginning and end of every day, but have found myself talking to God more in the car or when I am alone and experiencing downtime. I try to place all my stressors and burdens in his hands, while also remembering to thank him for all his blessings.

Journaling- This is another common practice that I have been doing daily since I went to college. Journaling helps me focus on the positive and finding the good in every day. It also helps me put things in perspective, the little stressors don’t seem as big in the grand scheme of things when you put things down on paper. I also always try to include what I’m grateful for every day. The good always tends to outweigh the bad.

Journaling is my favorite morning and evening activity

Going for a Walk- Whenever I am stressed, sometimes taking a walk right away immediately helps me clear my mind. Fresh air and getting in some steps in relieves my stress. Even if it’s just for five minutes, some fresh air can do wonders, especially if you are inside all day. After a long day in the office, there is truly nothing better than taking my dogs out for a walk. Whether it’s chilly or hot, you switch up your layers to enjoy your walk. I love to go on walks with friends or family, but going on a walk by myself is just as therapeutic too. I even love to take a walk and make phone calls to family and friends to catch up and relax.

A walk does wonders for the soul

Coloring- This was a hobby I loved as a child and picked it up as an adult to de-stress. Coloring soothes and relaxes me especially after a busy day. I enjoy coloring when I’m watching tv or relaxing with family. This practice is mindless and soothing and it’s a great way to focus on a task and get creative too. 

Coloring is a great way to unwind

Turn on a comfort show– If you are looking for something mindless to do to truly unwind, turning on a comfort show or something mindless always helps push my worries away. As I’m typing this post, I have Grey’s Anatomy on in the background. I love the relaxation it provides and how you can chose any episode and pick up right where you left off.

Those are some practices that have helped me unwind and decompress after a long or stressful day. Life can get busy, stressful or overwhelming, and it’s important that in busyness, we take time for ourselves. As the old saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty well.

I hope this encourages you to take time for yourself and put things in perspective in the busy and slow seasons of life.

What are your favorite ways to decompress and take time for yourself? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Wednesday!

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Let's Look

Let’s Look: Quiet and Prayer Time

Hello all!

Happy Wednesday! This has been a BUSY week, I just wrapped up a big work project, so the fact that my weekend starts tomorrow is huge sigh of relief.

I got to witness my first Total Solar Eclipse which was an incredible experience.

Such a cool moment

It’s the second Wednesday of the month which means it’s time for another Let’s Look as I link up with with Shay and Erika.

In January, we talked about How We Clean Our Closets.

In February, the topic was Things We Do Every Day

In March, it was all about what’s in our Grocery Carts

This month, we are chatting all about our Quiet and Prayer time.

This is a personal topic for many, and I know everyone has their own faith life and practices. Today, I’m sharing what has worked best for me in my prayer life as an adult and how I have incorporated my relationship with God in my every day life as I have gotten older.

I have gone to church my entire life. I went to Catholic grade school, high school, and college, so I always felt like I had a good relationship with God. As an adult, I wanted to grow more in my faith life and that came in the form of making more time for prayer every day. 

Every morning, I begin my day with a daily prayer/reflection. I like to ease into my day with quiet time before the days gets busy.

I use the app Laudate, which contains daily readings, prayers and reflections. During special seasons in the Catholic church, like Advent and Lent, I spend more time in my prayer by reading other devotionals I get through my Church, they typically contain a reading and reflection and prayer.

 This was the one I was using for this Lenten season at the end of the day before bed.

After some prayer and intention time, I spend time journaling about my day, what happened, what was good or bad, what’s stressing me out and what’s bringing me joy. I really like to take the time for reflection before the day begins, plus it gets all my thoughts out on paper and out of my mind. This takes about ten to fifteen minutes depending on how much I need to unpack, haha! Once my quiet time in the morning is done, it’s off to start the day.

At the end of the day, I have been working to unwind and have a few minutes of quiet time before getting ready for bed. I started the year by reading Near in the Night, it’s a companion piece to Sure as the Sunrise by Emily Ley.

It’s 100 daily devotionals and reflections. I made my way through Sure as the Sunrise last year in the mornings and have been making my way through Near in the Night this year. I did take a brief pause for Lent, but now, I’m back into it. I like the different devotionals and prompts that Ley writes and I like the room for daily and weekly reflection that she provides. After a little bit of quiet time, it’s time for bed.

Everyone has the own relationship with their faith life, some may choose to go to Church every day, while others may only go once a week. Faith is such a personal choice, and everyone has to decide for themselves what works best for them. I have found that incorporating time in the morning and night to spend time on my faith life is what matters most to me, so I make it a priority every day. There is always room for more time with God, but at this stage in my life this is what works for me.

If you are struggling with a faith life, I hope this encourages you to explore what else is out there for you. 

See you back here on Friday for another edition of Friday Favorites!

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Fabulous living

The Importance of Hobbies

Hello all!

Happy Wednesday and happy first week of April! 

I hope you had a peaceful and joyful Easter if you celebrate. It was wonderful to have my family together, even if it was for a short weekend.

Easter always gets me excited for the start of spring, even if it was slightly earlier this year. From the pastel colors to the blooming flowers and the sunshine, there are so many things to love about this time of year.

A joyous Easter weekend filled with lots of traditions.

Even though we had a mild winter, I’m ready for spring and summer. The new season also means the return of some of my favorite hobbies, which brings us to today’s post…the importance of hobbies. I firmly believe that having hobbies or interests outside of work and family and friends are vital for a life of balance and joy. I’ve tried out different hobbies through the years and as an adult found things that truly interest me and bring me joy.

Growing up, I was involved with different activities and interests. I did theater all through middle school and high school. I was involved in National Honor Society, Student Government and other clubs. In college, I had jobs on campus and was a part of different clubs and organizations too, which kept me busy between classes. I was always on the go; I didn’t have a ton of hobbies. I didn’t play a lot of sports growing up and although I was involved with groups and organizations, I didn’t have a ton of extra interests. I always enjoyed reading, journaling and watching movies or catching up on tv shows, and helping my mom in the kitchen, but It wasn’t until end of college that I wanted to develop consistent hobbies that could be a balance outside of work.

Once I started working full time, I realized I didn’t have homework, or other responsibilities to keep me busy like I was used to my whole life, so it was time to find some interests outside of work and family.

Here’s some of the hobbies I’ve picked up and stuck to in the recent years:

Reading

I have always loved reading. English was my favorite class in school, I loved going to the library as a child and to this day, I make weekly trips to my local branch. I love getting lost in the stories, being transported to other worlds and learning about different people or places. I didn’t read as much in college, due to other books I was reading for classes, but once I graduated, my time for reading opened up. I tend to go through a book a week, depending on the length and I make weekly stops to my library to pick up or return books. I love browsing the shelves for new books, but I always have a long “To Be Read” list of recommended books from blogs, friends, and family. I have even started to download a book on my phone, so I always have a book with me, but I tend to stick with a book I can hold as opposed to a digital book. I spend so much time on screens every day, it’s nice to put it down and focus on something else. Last year, I read over 50 books and I hope to exceed that goal this year. I tend to read first thing in the morning and right before bed at night as a way to ease in and out of the day, but that doesn’t always happen. I always tell myself, as long as you read something, even if it’s just a page, that counts. Reading has been such a relaxing and soothing outlet for me to unwind and forget about the everyday stressors. 

One of my latest favorite reads….American Royals by Katharine McGee

Cooking/Baking

Growing up, I loved helping my mom in the kitchen baking and cooking. I enjoyed baking in high school and college, but it wasn’t until I graduated college that I wanted to take my cooking skills to the next level. I started to cook one meal a week to work on my skills in the kitchen and to learn new recipes. Although, I took a hiatus with trying new meals in the kitchen due to a busy schedule, I’m back on track for trying new meals. I have enjoyed learning family recipes and researching new things to try. I’m getting more comfortable in the kitchen using different tools and ingredients and it’s been fun to have my family benefit from my new meals. The best part is that I’m building up my own cookbook for when I am on my own. Here’s how I plan out my recipes. I also have tried different baked goods recipes along the way too. From cookies, to cakes, and all things in between, it’s been fun to replicate some of my favorite desserts.

I’ve truly loved learning new recipes and getting comfortable in the kitchen.

Working Out/Running

In college, I started working out as a way to keep me busy and to stay active and fit. I wanted to continue that healthy lifestyle while I was working, so I found a gym and started going five days a week. I learned different skills and techniques in the gym, and I love the stress reliever it provides and that it helps me maintain a healthy lifestyle. I consider working out a hobby, it brings me joy and it’s something I’m passionate about. Last year, I wanted to challenge myself and start to run, I’ve talked about my running journey here and have truly found a love for running. I consider running one of my newest hobbies. I love the sense of accomplishment after a run, I love how I can clear my mind, and I love to see how far I can go. I do need to improve my speed, but that’s something that takes time and I’m okay with.

One of my latest runs and recent records

Gardening

This was a new hobby I picked up last summer and hopefully can continue it this year. I always wanted to grow a garden and finally gave it a try last year. It took lots of patience and tending, and plenty of trial and error, but I was thrilled with the end result, even if it wasn’t as plentiful as I hope. I learned a great deal about growing and harvesting and I can confirm that homegrown veggies taste way better than store bought. I loved seeing my hard work pay off and I loved that I could use my veggies in recipes. Plus, it was great to spend more time outdoors by tending and checking on my garden.

The fruits of my labor

Piano

This is my latest hobby, which has been one of the more challenging hobbies. I took piano lessons when I was younger but didn’t keep up with them. We have a piano in our home that was sitting idle, and I decided I wanted to try to pick up the hobby again. I have been slowly teaching myself through an app, Simply Piano, and it’s been an interesting learning experience. I have found that like anything, you have to be disciplined with it. For me, that means practicing every day, even if it’s only for ten minutes a day or on the go in the app. I spend more time practicing on my days off but try to get it in every day. Some days, I am on a roll and loving the lessons, other days, I hit a plateau and get stuck on the lesson. But I am slowly learning the instrument once again. Another personal challenge I’ve faced is that my dog hates it when I play and will cry or howl the entire time, which can cause stress and be a distraction. I will try and practice when he is outside, but it doesn’t always shake out that way. This has been one of the more challenging hobbies I have tried, but I am slowly learning it. My favorite part has been learning to play my favorite songs. 

A recent accomplishment

Those are some of the hobbies I’m currently trying to incorporate into my day-to-day life. I don’t know if I will keep up with them for the rest of my life, but for now, they bring me joy and purpose and balance outside of work, family and friends. They are little ways I can take care of myself and don’t take up too much of my time. I think that’s the important thing about hobbies, they don’t have to be super expensive or any everyday thing. They can be simple way to take care of yourself and do something for me. Another thing that I have learned about hobbies is that it’s all about making time for them. You may think “I don’t have time for a hobby or to try something new”, but I promise you that if you really care about it and want to do it, you will find the time. I always seem to find a minute here or there to read a few pages of a book instead of scrolling through Instagram mindlessly, it’s all about how you structure and use your time. 

I hope this gives you some inspiration about finding a new hobby or re-learning an old one. Don’t be afraid to try something new or put yourself first, it may surprise you, how a little change could make a big effect.

Tell me: what are some hobbies you have picked up or are enjoying? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy hobby-ing!

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Let's Look

Let’s Look: Things We Do Every Day

Hello all! Happy Wednesday and Happy Valentine’s Day! ! I hope you are having a great day celebrating all things love, whether its with your significant other, best friends, or even celebrating love for yourself. Spreading some love island kindness is so important not just today, but every day. 

Valentine’s Day cookies are always a must!

It’s also the second Wednesday of the month which means it’s time for another Let’s Look. Last month we talked about cleaning our closets.

This month’s prompt is Things We Do Every Day. Obviously there’s things every person does every day (brush their teeth, shower, eat, sleep). I decided to go through my day and take note of the unique things I do (or try to do) every day.

Here’s what I try to do every day:

Journal- I always start the day with some prayer time and journaling. Sometimes I follow prompts, other times, I write what’s on my mind or how I’m feeling.

My journal for 2024

Movement- Whether it’s through a workout, a run, biking, a walk or yoga. I always try to get 30 minutes of movement in. I aim to get it first thing in the morning, so I don’t have to worry about it as the day goes on, but sometimes I don’t get movement in until after the work day.

One of my workouts

Reading– I love to read, so I always try to get in some reading every day, whether it’s a few chapters or pages of whatever book I’m currently reading. Reading is a hobby that I love and try to incorporate every day. I typically read in the morning and at night as a way to start and end my day by relaxing. 

My current read

Wordle– This is a silly one, but I always start my day with the Wordle. It keeps me sharp and it’s always fun to play at the start of my day, plus my friends and I will try to see who can get the word in the least amount of tries.

Word Search– Another way I like to keep my mind sharp is by doing a word search. Most of the time I choose fairly easy ones that I can accomplish in 15 minutes, but it’s a fun hobby that entertains me.

No day is complete without a few minutes doing word searches

News Briefings and Blogs– I have a few blogs that I follow and a few trusted new sources that I always read before the day begins. I always check the top stories of USA Today and I love Katie Couric Media sent to my inbox in the mornings. I always like to be briefed about what’s going on before the day begins.

My most used apps in the morning

Family Time– My family and relationships are so important to me, so I always aim to have a family meal together or catch up after a long day. I also aim to check in with friends once a week to see how my people are doing.

That’s just a little recap of things unique to me that I try to do every day. Most of them I do in the morning before work because I know the days can get busy and crazy, but I always feel better when I have my hobbies or interests out of the way at the start of the day. 

There’s other things I try to do every day (laundry, cleaning, cooking)-but the above list are ones that I make a point to do every day. If I don’t get to something it’s not the end of the world, but I try to incorporate these little things to help set me up for success for the day ahead. 

Tell Me: what things do you try to do every day? Let me know in the comments below! Happy Valentine’s Day! Sending you love on this Wednesday!

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Let's Look

Let’s Look: Morning Routines

Hey friends! Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a great week so far as we make our way through MAY! This is one of my favorite months of the year, I love the warmer weather, transitioning from spring to summer, fresh plants and flowers, the start of grilling season and my birthday is this month-so many great things happening!

It’s the second Wednesday of the month which means it’s time for a Let’s Look with Erika and Shay for Let’s Look!! Once a month, they share different parts of their lives and I’ve linked up along with them too. Here’s some of the past prompts, in April, we talked about pet peeves, in March, we talked about Amazon purchases in February it was about our medicine cabinets. This month the theme is Let’s Look at our morning routines!

I LOVE a good morning routine, so I couldn’t wait to share mine.

I have two morning routines to share. The first, an early morning routine and a second-regular morning routine.

On weekends, I work an early morning shift, so my mornings look a bit different compared to Monday through Friday, so I decided to share them both with you today!

Up first, a weekend morning.

Alarm goes off at 3:45, I spend some time checking my phone for emails, texts, social media, news feeds for a few minutes and then it’s reflection time. I read a daily reflection from Laudate, a religious app and then doing journaling and reflection.

This is my current journal, there’s a prompt for every day which I’ll answer and then I’ll journal anything that’s on my mind. Then I do some reading of this meditation, Sure as the Sunrise by Emily Ley. I have been loving it this year. This takes about 10 minutes from start to finish and then this is where the time starts ticking.

I get up before 4:00, make up bed, brush teeth and wash my face and then start makeup. If all goes according to plan, it takes about twenty minutes for my makeup.

Then it’s hair time, I typically curl my hair and while I do that I do some reading and a word search. I know it sounds crazy, but rather than watch tv or listen to music, I will read a few chapters and complete a word search while I do my hair.

Once all is said and done it’s about 4:40, I finish getting ready, grab my lunch and it’s out the door by 4:50 to get to work by 5:00.

Out the door on time.

On weekends, mornings go by fast and there’s no chance of hitting the snooze.

At work on time!

On weekdays, it’s a bit of a different story. I get a lot more done and it’s not as rushed.

Alarm goes off at 6:15, I go about my morning routine of checking my phone, having my reflection time, getting up and getting ready to leave for the gym by 6:40.

Workout done!

Then it’s workout time for about an hour. I get home around 7:50ish.

It’s time to start getting ready for the work day, that includes makeup, hair-similar to my weekend routine. I’ll see what I have going on for the day with my Simplified Planner.

A glance at my planner for this week

I’ll grab my lunch do any picking up that needs done and then it’s out the door, on this particular day, I had to run to the bank before heading to work, but made it in my 9:15 ahead of my start time.

 

Time for work!

My days off look fairly similar to a weekday morning, same wakeup time, reflection, gym time and then after that every day is different depending on if I have appointments, errands to run or I just come home and relax.

That’s a look at two different by similar morning routines. I always love getting a peak into other people’s routines and rhythms. Let me know in the comments below about yours!

Have a great rest of your week and I will see you back here on Friday for a new edition of Friday Favorites!

Categories
Fabulous living

5 Years of Writing

5 years…every week for the past five years, I’ve sat down and opened my laptop and began to write. 

Some days, it was therapeutic to put into words what’s been on my mind, other days I got to talk about things I’m passionate about, like products, books, or movies.

 I’ve written about outfits I’ve put together and mixing and matching different pieces to keep things affordable.

I’ve written about how to keep your spaces clean whether it’s your dorm room, car, or daily planner.

I’ve written about trips I’ve taken, or bucket lists I’ve made and things I’ve accomplished. It’s amazing that just when I think so don’t have any more ideas, something new comes to mind. Over 350 posts and counting.

When I started my blog at the end of my freshmen year of college, I was looking for a creative outlet. I was homesick and I was searching for a hobby and decided why not write. My blog was a way to keep family members and friends in the loop about what I was doing and as a way to express myself.

A look at some of my first posts.

I looked forward to sharing different outfits and life hacks each week. As I grew up and matured, so did my blog. I changed the style and content as I made my way through college and graduated. If you have been following since the very beginning, you know there’s been changes with color schemes and the days I posted and even some of the topics. It’s been fun to look back and see how far I have come since May 2017.

Another throwback to one of my first outfits.

I learned balance with my blog as I started my first job. Every weekend I always looked forward to working on something creative and fun, especially as our world changed with the pandemic. Even with all the unknowns and at sometimes darkness, my blog was a bright spot for me and hopefully for others. 

From college to my first day of work

I’ve learned a lot about myself these past five years. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be vulnerable and share what’s on your mind, whether it’s about eating alone or transitioning from college to working. I’ve learned the importance of making time for yourself and finding joy every day, whether it’s through journaling or walks or cooking.

Enjoying the simple things in life like apple picking has been something I’ve leaned into more these past few years.

While I’ve learned a lot so far, I know I still have a ways to go. I’m excited to see what this next year brings. My hope is that it brings more life lessons, more memories, and most importantly, little moments that bring joy every day.

 To those who read my blog posts when I started writing them sitting in my college dorm room, thank you for sticking with me! And, to those who started following along as I now write them on weekend with my dog curled up on my lap back home, thank you for stopping by.

I hope my blog brings you a little bit of joy, like it does for me every day.

Here’s to a new year, a new chapter, and taking life one day at a time.

xoox

Elspeth

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Fun Ways to Organize

Forming Healthy Habits and Routines

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday and happy February! There’s always something refreshing about a new month. I felt like this past month really dragged, the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over, I stayed inside while still going out for walks a few days a week, and established some new routines, but I am ready for a new month. 

One of the things I touched on in my last past was getting into some new rhymes and rhythms, and I wanted to share some of them with you today. 

When I thought about what I wanted this year to look like, I wanted less time being distracted by things that didn’t bring me joy or leave me fulfilled. My phrase for this year is to be more intentional and so far I am loving the results I am seeing. For example, I would waste time scrolling on social media and complain I didn’t have enough time to read. Hello, ditch the phone and get a book!

One way that I made sure I had a better routine in place was setting up downtime on my phone. I did a post about the new screen time feature a year or so ago. You can read it here.

I realized when my phone was shut off (minus calls and texts) I got so much done without the distraction of notifications and social media.

My favorite new routine is with my morning. Let me break it down for you. Every weekday (Monday-Friday), I get up at 6:30 a.m. and then head to the gym for an hour. My “downtime” on my phone goes from 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. In that hour, I will shower (if I didn’t the night before), wash or put away any dishes that need done, throw a load of laundry in, get changed for the day, do my reading and journaling. I’m currently reading this every day and LOVING. One thing I wanted to do this year was read every day. I don’t have a set amount of books I want to read in the year, but I want to carve time every day to read. Whether it was 15 minutes or an hour. During this of downtime from my phone hour is where I get my reading done and it’s such a game changer. By 9:00 a.m. I feel so accomplished and ready to tackle the rest of my day whether I am working or have the day off. Setting boundaries with my phone helped me so much. I also have time set for each day for social media and once my time is done for the day, I am done. 

Another thing that has always helped me with my routines is to write things down. Even though, I already know what I want to accomplish, I love to be able to see it in front of me and mark it off when I am done. Here’s a look at one of my weekly planner pages.

At the beginning of the week I always write down everything I want to do across the board and what days I want to get them done. 

Lastly, another part of my routine is always leaving the house clean, when I leave for work, I always make sure everything is picked up and put away, things are laid out for the next day and I have my to-do list ready for tomorrow. I go into work with a clear mind and ready to tackle the day. 

That’s just a breakdown of what things have worked well for me as we start on a new month. What are some new routines that really work for you? Let me know below! Have a great week friends!

Categories
Fabulous living

A Year of Grace Not Perfection

Hi All!! Happy Wednesday!!

For long time readers, you may have picked up on the fact that I love to journal! It’s my favorite way to start my day, having some quiet time and then time to write and reflect. I have been journaling throughout my time in college, you can read more about it here.

During my senior year in college and my first few months out of college, I journaled in the companion to Grace Not Perfection, by Emily Ley. This was my journal for 2019-2020. There were prompts every week, to give me something to reflect and work towards. But it also has enough open space to jot down you thoughts and feelings and emotions. 

Finding Grace in my senior year and first few months working

The phrase “Grace Not Perfection” has been a mantra that I have kept coming back to through the year, when times get busy or hectic, I remind myself to give myself grace and not everything is going to be perfect. It truly puts things in perspective for me.

My favorite quote and a college throwback

After reading “Grace Not Perfection” during my sophomore year of college and now spending a year journaling with it, I’m much more aware and better with implementing it in my daily life. It’s no longer a matter of remembering to do it, rather it’s always in the back of my mind and I apply it without realizing it.

Maybe “grace not perfection” is not your mantra, but whatever you believe in or focus on, be sure to keep it in your mind on the good days and the not so good days. 

I also believe that these past few months have put my grace not perfection to the test, so many things in life have gotten cancelled or post-poned and in those times of uncertainty it’s even more important to allow ourselves that grace and knowledge that it will all work out. 

What are some of your mantras that you live by?!

Categories
Fabulous living

Thoughts During A Pandemic

 These past few months have been filled with so many unknowns, but in any situation, I always look for the silver linings, so even when the world stopped and got turned upside down, I still wanted to find the good in it. I’ve learned a lot about myself during these past few weeks and months. 

One of the things that have really helped me every day is to simply put things in perspective and maintain a grateful and positive attitude through it all, yes, days were hard and challenging, but taking it one day at a time, helped me so much. Another things that has helped me as been journaling, not just daily but also a separate journal about life and working through a pandemic, I remember what I’m feeling every day, but years from now, will I? Keeping all my notes and feelings in one spot hase been so helpful too!

I was lucky enough to work through the pandemic, although days were filled with uncertainty, I was so fortunate to still be able to work. Another thing I was super grateful for was the fact I was with my family the entire time, I got bonus time with my parents and siblings as they worked and learned from home. I was able to see them before and after work, have quality time to be together that I may not have gotten in the past. Another positive in a dark situation. 

What really stands out to me during the pandemic, was the importance of truly slowing down. During college, especially during my senior year, I felt spread too thin and overwhelmed with commitments, I have gotten into a much better routine since working but this pandemic, truly showed me that you don’t have to have a full schedule every single day and this is something I want to adapt in my life more this summer. Yes, more things are reopening and we are entering into a new normal but I want to still continue with slower days when I can. At the beginning of this year, I read, When Less Becomes More by Emily Ley, you can read the review here. One of the biggest takeaways from the book was living a slower and more meaningful life and the joy and beauty in the simple things. I have truly found the beauty in the simple things and the importance of taking it slow. I have also learned to not take things for granted, like just going into a store to browse, you can’t do that anymore. I also found you don’t have to be busy all the time or doing things all the time to be happy and enjoy life. 

Taking it one day at a time and realizing that sometimes, the simple things in life are better.

What have your learned about yourself through the pandemic? How has your outlook on life changed?

Categories
Fabulous living

My College Career in Four Journals

Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday. I hope you all had a great and restful weekend. With only a few weekends left in college, I am trying to soak up all the time I have left being with my friends, I have been taking advantage of going out to brunch with my buddies, having good conversations with friends, and always being down to do something. 

That brings me to my new series of blog posts. I started this blog when I was in my freshmen year of college and a lot has happened since I started it. The next several weeks, my posts will be dedicated to reflecting on my time in college, my favorite memories, what I learned, a final semester recap, and a thank you to a place that I have truly grown in so many ways. 

Four years of memories, moments, and happiness

Today’s post is something that I have talked about through the years, but I am ready to really talk about it more. Let’s talk about journaling! I can successfully say that I have journaled through my entire college career. Yes, every single day of college, is documented and written about. I can tell you what I was doing on November 29, 2016, or April 16, 2017, or January 25, 2018, and even on August 26, 2019. I can tell you how I was feeling, what I was struggling with, what sparked joy that day because I wrote it all down. Looking back, this was one of the best decisions I made while I was in college. Writing about my feelings, what I was going through, what things caused me stressed and what things made me happy was such a good way to unwind and reflect. It also put things in perspective for me. I never had a full day where I complained, I always found something positive or good about the day, whether it was getting a good grade on an exam or catching up with an old friend. Journaling every day made me realize how good life is, and all the things I have to be grateful for. Every year, I had a different theme for my journaling.

Freshmen year, my mom gifted me this journal when I moved into my first day of college. I journaled about every single thing that happened, what I ate for breakfast, how my classes went, what I did for fun and when I went to bed. I was so detailed with my journaling. It was a great way to unwind at the end of the day and reflect of everything I got done. This method really worked during a year of adjusting to a new place and new people. It was a form of comfort to me. 

Sophomore year-my year of YES

Sophomore year came and it was all about yes saying to everything. I started a new job, met new friends, tried new things and stepped out of my comfort zone. I had read Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes and I made my sophomore year my year of yes. I started every day with my Years of Yes journal. The journal was set up with a topic each month to say yes to things. There was a goals section where you can map out where you want to see yourself by the end of the month. Each day is split up into three sections where you can write about the things you said yes to. Inspirational quotes by Rhimes are spread throughout the book to give you motivation if you need it. I spent 5 minutes a day on this and it was such a positive way to start the day. I loved seeing all the things I tried and said yes to through the year. 

Junior Year JOY

Junior year brought JOY. I decided to journal about all the joy in my life. I found myself getting negative about the small things in life, whether it was a long day or friendship troubles. I decided to find joy in every day. I would write down three good things or three things that brought me joy. After doing this for a full year I got to change my mindset and see all the good things in my life. It also made the small annoying things in life seem nonexistent. I’m so glad I found the good in every day. 

Finding Grace in my Senior Year

For senior year, I wanted to try something new. I have always been very involved and balancing a lot of things in life, which I do very well at. For senior year, I decided to give myself the gift of grace. I was inspired by Emily Ley’s Grace Not Perfection and, journaled every day from prompts in the book, A Standard of Grace as well sharing the highlights of my day. It really made me focus on what was important in life. 

Four years later

Although, my college career is winding down, I will continue to journal, it has been a great stress reliever, and a beautiful way to reflect on my time in college and see the beauty and good in every day. Journaling has brought me so much joy and happiness and I am so glad I have four journals full of thoughts, memories, and happiness from my time in college.