As I stare at my calendar and see graduation is only four days away, I find myself reflecting on where the past three years have gone. A day that felt so distant at times is now here, yet it feels like my undergraduate journey just started. Where has the time gone?! During my time at IUPUI, I’ve learned a lot about myself and those around me, and I’ve changed so much from the girl that stood in that empty and lonely dorm room three years ago, unsure of what would happen next. I’ve reflected a lot on what my freshman-self had planned, and I want to share a bit of my journey through a letter to my freshman self.
My first week in Indy
Dear Freshman Taiylor:
It’s all going to be okay. I remember the feelings of loneliness, confusion, excitement and fear that you’re experiencing. I remember the nights spent wondering why you decided to move away from home, when you would start to feel comfortable with your new home, and how you would navigate this new city when all you’ve ever known was a small town surrounded by cornfields and filled with a tight-knit community. I know you feel lost and sad, but trust me, it’s all so worth it and you will find your place here sooner than you think!
I know you have big plans and aspirations for your time here. It feels like time is endless and you have forever to explore the world. Four years seems like forever, and you’ve always been ambitious with your goals for yourself. Don’t lose that ambition, but also understand that it is okay if you don’t get a 4.0 every semester. Your junior year will throw some major curve balls toward your academic goals, but just keep working and don’t be so hard on yourself when things don’t go as planned and that 4.0 seems unattainable. Actually, you should just prepare for literally nothing to go as planned and for your goals to change a million times from the start of your college journey to your college graduation day.
We know what we are, but not what we may be.”
Ophelia – shakespeare’s hamlet
That nursing major? Yeah, it won’t last long. You didn’t like science in high school, so what made you think you would like it in college? Don’t stress about it. It’s completely normal to change your major once you start branching off and discovering who you want to be. You will gain new interests and lose old ones as you develop yourself, and that’s great! Embrace it. You’ll feel lost and unsure of what to major in, but just trust the process and keep working hard. Five major changes later, you’ll be able to graduate a year early and get accepted to graduate school. We never expected that to be in our future plans, did we?
In high school, you were involved in all the clubs and activities
and community service events. Don’t feel pressured to do the same in college.
You’re in a new place, surrounded by new people, with new opportunities all
around you. Explore! See what else is out there. Don’t be afraid to branch out
from your comfort zone and try new things. But also, don’t feel obligated to
try all the new things. Do what you
want to do, not what you may feel pressured to do.
Most importantly, you have time. I remember always saying I never had time for anything. Between that on-campus job and all your classes and trying to find yourself in this new home, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Just set a routine that works for you, get your homework done when you can, and don’t forget to relax! There is so much more to the college experience than just working and going to class. You’ll pass all your classes without reading every single word of the textbook chapter and studying until 3 a.m. every day, and you’ll look back and be thankful for the nights you spent going to dinner and a movie with your friends instead of studying. Find your balance, and don’t lose yourself in school and work.
.
College has been a wild ride. The girl I entered college as is no longer me. I’ve changed and grown so much over the past three years, I’ve explored my own interests and become my own person outside of who others expected me to be. Most importantly, I’ve enjoyed it. Sure, it was stressful at times, but all the challenges and experiences have had such a huge impact on the proud, confident, intelligent young professional I have become. Embrace this experience and do what makes YOU happy.
Chase your dreams, and walk into your future with your head held high.
In all honesty, today was rough. My mindset has been off ever
since I woke up this morning, and although I put a lot of effort throughout the
day into trying to get out of this funk, I wasn’t successful. And you know what?
That’s okay! I experienced a series of frustrating events. I’m feeling slightly
overwhelmed with my schoolwork. I’m annoyed with school, I’m ready to be done
with undergrad and move on to bigger and better things. And while normally I
would push these minor inconveniences to the side and put myself at the forefront
of my focus, I just wasn’t able to do that today.
While I know this is okay, at first, I felt frustrated with
myself. I’ve put a lot of work into building a positive mindset full of self-love
lately, and I felt like all my hard work vanished today. Why would I have spent
all this time working so hard on myself, just to give up today? I shouldn’t be
giving in to these negative thoughts, that shows my imperfections and my
weaknesses.
But then, I took a break. I came home from work, took a nap,
and then had an impromptu date night. Normally, I hate going out of my routine.
But today I had to realize that I wasn’t in the right state of mind to follow
my normal routine. My body was telling me that it needed a break, and I had to
listen to that. Sometimes you can carry all the weight on your own, and
sometimes you have to rely heavily on others to get through the day, and both
situations are totally okay. I ended date night feeling refreshed and thankful,
and I’m now feeling ready to take on tomorrow with a more positive outlook and to
get back on track with my goals.
Listen to and respect your body, strive for progress not
perfection, and remember that tomorrow is a new day.
If you follow me on Instagram, then you probably saw this
transformation picture I posted a couple weeks ago. I remember looking at the
“before” picture on spring break last year, and I was instantly filled with so
much shame and self-consciousness. I hated it, I wanted to cry, and I didn’t
want my picture taken the rest of the trip. I said that once we got home from
the trip, I’d start making changes, but I didn’t do anything for three more
months. On my 20th birthday in June, I decided to stop making
excuses and make myself and my health and happiness a priority. And I’ve never
been more thankful for committing to something in my life!
Don’t get me wrong, this certainly was not an easy transition. I didn’t immediately change my lifestyle, and I fell off-track more times than I can count. I would be really committed for a week or a month, and then have one cheat meal or weekend and completely give up for the next two months. I followed this cycle for about five months, and although I saw some progress during that time, I still had a negative mentality about the process. It wasn’t until January that I really felt committed, changed my mindset, and gained so much confidence and happiness. Tip #1: be patient with yourself!
This journey has been a long and incredibly challenging both
physically and mentally, and *disclaimer* there’s no magic secret. It took a
lot of hard work, failure, and commitment. I could never capture my
whole story in one blog post, but I’m going to try to summarize (this post is
still super long, so I apologize, but I wanted to give as much info as I
could!) the top five things that have helped me the most, and I hope they’ll
help encourage you along the way too!
1. Adapt your mindset
Before I
started this process, I always heard fitness coaches and people I followed for
inspiration on social media say that your mindset is one of, if not the, most
important factors to a positive and successful weight loss journey. I didn’t
believe it. I thought “how could my mindset be better, I hate the way I look
and feel, and I can’t change it.” Boy, was I wrong! Looking back to the
beginning, I wish I would’ve just taken their advice and realized how important
a positive mindset is to a positive process.
The way you
talk to and about yourself makes a world of difference, and it’s something I
was horrible at (and still fall guilty of sometimes). I had to train myself to
stop focusing on everything I hated when I looked in the mirror. Instead of
drawing all of my attention to what I thought looked horrible about myself, I
made an effort to point out one thing that I loved about myself each day. It
sounds silly, and I never thought it could actually help, but changing my
self-talk to a positive voice has been incredibly helpful. Also, it’s
incredibly important to remember that your self-worth is not defined by what
you see on the scale or by the size of clothes you wear. (This took me so long to understand!) I certainly
didn’t get to this mindset immediately, and there were more negative mindset
days than positive ones at the beginning, but it’s something I’m very thankful
I put so much energy into and I highly recommend incorporating more self-love
into your self-dialogue.
2. Create an exercise
routine that works for YOU
Put bluntly: STOP MAKING EXCUSES. I was queen of excuses before I had a friend tell me to stop bullshitting myself, because excuses only limit your possibilities. I’m a ‘tough love’ type of person, so that was exactly what I needed to hear. I get it, I’m busy: I go to school full time and work three jobs and try to balance a social and family life as well. It’s HARD. But I had to realize that if I want to give the best version of myself to all of those commitments, I have to first commit to doing what will make me feel better about myself – exercise.
When I
started losing weight, I was stuck on cardio. I found success with the
elliptical, and would typically do between 1-3 miles 3-4 days a week. Recently
I started a BeachBody program that’s a phenomenal mix between cardio and body
weight training, and I’ve loved mixing in weight training that way. I tried
running and a ton of workout plans I found on Instagram and Pinterest, but
again, they didn’t work for me because they weren’t what I wanted to do. So
now, I don’t stick to a super strict exercise plan. I try to workout 5-6 days a
week, but don’t beat myself up if I don’t do that every single week! I also
tried working out at 5am every day, but I learned that I hate morning workouts
and was not sticking to my goals because I didn’t want to wake up to do it. So
now, I workout between 5-7pm, and I’ve found that to be my most successful
time. It’s all about finding what specific exercises work for you, but the most
important thing is that you stop making excuses and make your workouts a
priority in your life.
3. Find a nutrition
style… that works for YOU
I tried so
many diets, and I failed at every single one of them. “This worked for this
girl on Instagram, so why can’t I just stick to it and make it work for
myself?!” I would stick to these diets for one or two days, maybe even a week
if I was lucky, but then I’d have a cookie or arroz con pollo and then I’d tell
myself I ruined the whole diet, so I’d just give up until the next fad diet
came along. Little secret: it’s not worth the yo-yo dieting, so stop trying. If
you don’t like vegetables, don’t try to follow a vegetarian diet just because
your friend lost 5 pounds in 1 week following that diet. Don’t set yourself up for failure.
I’m not
going to hide anything here: nutrition is still my biggest struggle. But, I’ve
learned a lot along the way and I’m working to create a nutrition habit that
works well for me. At the beginning, I counted calories and that worked really
well for me. It helped me to learn just how
bad the foods I had been eating were, and it encouraged me to stop eating those
things and find healthier alternatives. I don’t count calories daily anymore
because I typically eat the same thing(s) from week-to-week so I have a mental
note about how many calories I’m consuming. However, if I feel myself starting
to slip up, I’ll count calories again for a few days to get myself back on
track, and that always keeps me accountable. Here’s my typical day of eating:
Brunch:
I typically have a protein shake with organic chocolate protein powder, PB2
powder, a banana, and unsweetened almond milk as brunch/lunch, depending on
when I feel hungry (typically between 10:30 – noon). I don’t force myself to
eat breakfast because I’m not hungry in the mornings!
Snack:
I usually get hungry around 2-4 in the afternoon, so I drink a full bottle of
water and grab a light snack around then. I’ve been on a huge grape kick
lately, so I usually have ½ cup of grapes as my snack. I also do ½ cup carrots
or celery frequently. Snacking has been my biggest problem, so I’ve really
tried to cut out my snacking and if I’m feeling hungry, I sit down and have a
healthy snack instead of grazing with unhealthy foods! (I plan to write another
post in the future with more details about my go-to snacks, so stay tuned for
that!)
Dinner: I try to eat before 7 p.m., but that certainly doesn’t always happen. I eat chicken a lot, and usually try to have some veggies mixed in. My favorite quick dinner is a spinach salad with grilled chicken, or chicken, rice, and veggies! I also have eggs a lot, and there’s tons of quick and easy egg recipes out there! If I’m not feeling very hungry, I eat a fruit smoothie bowl like the one pictured on the left below:
4. Find a supportive
community
This one is
pretty self-explanatory, but I seriously never could have imagined how much a
supportive community of friends, family, or even
strangers-turned-internet-friends could impact my successes. Having a group of
people that you know you can turn to about your successes, your challenges,
your proudest moments, and your hardest moments is incredibly helpful. Find
people that support your goals, and cherish them forever! Also, you can always
feel free to reach out to me and I will be ecstatic to support you in any way I
can! J
Sharing exciting victories…
Sharing challenges and encouragement…
5. STOP COMPARING
YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE
If you haven’t caught on, the biggest overarching lesson I’ve learned is do what works for you. In a time when social media consumes so much of our time, it’s so easy to fall guilty to comparing yourself to others. This has honestly been one of the biggest mental challenges I’ve faced, and it’s the one I still struggle with the most. Just try to remind yourself that everybody is different, what works for others may not work for you, and that you aren’t defined by how you compare to other people. Be your own person, and take some time away from social media if you find yourself flooding your mind with comparison because of what you see there (seriously – I deleted my social media’s for a few days and felt so refreshed after that period!)
.
.
I know this post was super long and I probably rambled more than necessary (sorry), so if you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! I hope you found some encouragement and useful information here. If you have any questions about one of the things I talked about, or about something I didn’t cover, please reach out and I’ll be happy to help in any way I can!!
Today I’m thankful for gorgeous, warm weather, outfits that make me feel like spring, and time spent outside with my pup. 🌺🐶
Also obviously always thankful for my bff who knows and understands me so well and buys me cute things like this cactus canvas just to make me smile.🌵
I’ve always loved spring and summer, but I feel like it’s been more anticipated this year than ever. It seems like the frigid, gross, gloomy winter days drug on and on and on this year, and they drug my mood down with them.
The tiny birds chirping, fresh grass greening, colorful flowers blooming, bright sun shining, cool breeze blowing, and temperatures rising has me feeling all the happy feelings and smiling endlessly.
Bring onnnn the endless warm & sunny days, positive moods, and bright colors of spring!! 💐💛🌸
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What are you looking forward to the most this spring?
Everyone’s college experience is different, especially at
more of a non-traditional, commuter college like mine. We all have different
course loads, extra-curriculars, part-time-turned-full-time jobs, and countless
other commitments that require our time, attention, and energy. It’s easy to
get overwhelmed and feel like your time is slipping away; like you’ve worked
non-stop for the past 48 hours but your to-do list has somehow doubled.
I often hear peers asking the infamous question: “how can
college students effectively manage their time?” and the answer is never clear;
in part because everyone’s schedules are completely different, and in part
because everyone manages their responsibilities differently. I’m certainly not
an expert on time management, and still find myself spending the first weeks of
each semester feeling like a lost freshman all over again; but I’m going to
share what work best for me to keep my time managed (semi) effectively.
1. Be more intentional with your time
The first, and arguably most important “tip” to implement is
to be intentional. When I first heard a peer mention this, I was skeptical. How
can thinking about the reason for doing every little part of my day help me?
Won’t that just stress me out even more? What if I can’t find a reason for
something? Why can’t I just do something because it’s part of my routine?
Little did I know, it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Your intention can
be as simple as “this thing makes me happy, so I’m doing it for happiness” and
that is great! The purpose of being intentional is just to make you pause and
reflect on how what you’re exerting your time and attention to is benefiting
you. I know, it sounds selfish. But it’s your own time, and your own energy, so
why should you not be a little
selfish about how you spend it?
I used to start each day scrolling through social media,
wasting so much of my morning catching up on other people’s lives and not
preparing for my own. Why? What did that do for me? When I started thinking
about being more intentional with my time, I realized that this routine only added to my stress and made me feel more
rushed and incredibly busy before my day really even began. So why would I keep
doing that? I didn’t. It certainly wasn’t an overnight fix, and I still catch
myself falling back into the trap from time to time, but I’ve changed my
morning routine around and instead of spending those ten (but probably much
more than that, because we all fall guilty of mindlessly scrolling) minutes
scrolling through social media, I make myself a healthy breakfast and spend
time with my pup before rushing out the door.
So, be intentional. Think about why you’re doing what you’re
doing (keeping in mind that your health, happiness, and sanity are all very
valid and necessary intentions to consider), and ask yourself how it’s going to
benefit your ultimate goal(s) for the day.
2. Make a schedule or
to-do list for e v e r y t h i n g
I live for to-do lists and the mini schedules I make for
each day. Sometimes I make a to-do list on a blank sheet of paper, sometimes on
a digital post-it note on my laptop, sometimes on my phone calendar and/or
notes, and sometimes just mentally. But regardless, I plan out my day each day.
I’m taking all online classes and working three jobs this semester, so my days
look a bit different than they have throughout the rest of my college career
since I don’t physically have to go to class. I personally love this schedule
and feel so much more productive, but I’m not going to lie – getting into this
routine was rough at the beginning.
Typically, I put time-sensitive responsibilities (such as
meetings, work, and scheduled lunch with friends) on my phone calendar so I can
look ahead at the beginning of the week and see what my days will look like. When
I get to work each morning, I make to-do lists of things that I need to get
done based on their deadlines, and I cross them off once I’m finished, which
helps to break up my day and keep me on track. I’ve also used this method
around midterms time in the past, when I have lots of assignments to get done
in a short amount of time.
The most beneficial thing I started doing this semester has
been to get as much of my homework done on the weekends as possible, so I can
have most of the weeknight evenings free (benefit of online classes: being able
to work ahead). At first, I was hesitant to implement this because I didn’t
want to spend my entire weekend doing homework, but I’ve learned that if I am
intentional with my time on the weekends and work diligently to get things
done, I still have some time to relax. I also know that if I don’t have my
weekday evenings free, I know I won’t relax at all after work, and that’s
something that’s very important to me. It’s just about finding a system that
provides you with the b a l a n c e you
need.
3. Prioritize,
prioritize, prioritize
Like I mentioned above, finding what makes you feel the most
accomplished and balanced is key to implementing an effective time management
system in your life. For me, getting a lot of career experience to make myself
well-versed in my career field is super important, so I’ve made that a priority
this semester and cut back on some of my involvement in other extra curriculars
to make time for career development. I’ve also prioritized my health and work
hard to fit exercise into my daily schedule because I know it will make me feel
energized and refreshed. I’m not a social butterfly and, although I enjoy
meeting new people, I’m perfectly happy with just my small circle of close
friends, so having a super active social life isn’t something that’s a huge
priority in my life. But, each person has different preferences and different
priorities, so just figure out what’s most important in your life and put that
at the forefront of your schedule.
It’s also important to remember, though, that you’re going
to have to do things that you might not love, [read: homework]. Do I love
spending my weekends doing homework? Absolutely not. But homework and studying
are naturally very important parts of my life as a college student, and I have
to make them a priority in order to be successful, which is something that I love. Instead of being annoyed at the amount of
homework I have and waiting until the last possible minute to do it all [though
this does happen sometimes, senioritis is real],
I try to work homework into my schedule, splitting my time evenly between that
and my other priorities, like my career and my health.
Ultimately, there is no “quick fix” solution to manage your time effectively. You just have to figure out what brings you the most joy and satisfaction, and make it a priority in your life, even if that means giving up some of the things that don’t bring you as much joy anymore. When it comes to doing less-exciting things that still need to be a priority, always remember to look at the bigger picture and think about why you’re doing what you’re doing. It sounds so cliché, but it really is just a matter of using your time wisely in order to benefit yourself in the best way possible.
I don’t know about you, but coming home to see my dog
jumping with excitement to see me after a long day instantly fills me with
happiness After all the jumping around, we usually take a trip outside and then
come back in to play with all the squeaky and overly-stuffed toys; and once he’s
settled down a bit, he loves to cuddle and provide a sensible distraction from
homework! If all these things aren’t enough to convince you that being a dog mom
is the best thing ever, check out these additional reasons:
1. Constant cuddles
Despite weighing 65 pounds, my pup is the biggest, sweetest cuddle-buddy ever. He’s not aware of his size and thinks
he’s a lap dog, but I love it! When we’re both home, he’s constantly switching
back and forth from laying on my lap and my fiancés lap. If he’s not cuddling
one of us, we often find him curled up on the couch, our bed, or one of his dog
beds cuddling a blanket or a toy. Not only does seeing him cuddled up all the
time make me smile because he’s adorable, but it also makes me pause to appreciate
all the little things in life, which leads us to the next point. (But first,
enjoy these adorable pictures of Willis cuddles).
2. Improved mental health
It’s really hard to see a face like this and not smile:
Aside from spreading smiles, dogs often have a calming
effect on their humans. Seeing the dog’s happiness, snuggling up next to the
dog, and petting the dog all tend to provide a level of comfort and sincerity
to their humans. Dogs also prove to be a great companion who humans come to
rely on. After all, dogs are man’s
best friend.
3. Increased need to stay active
Pets create a feeling of responsibility in their humans,
which can lead to improved mental health as well. Equally as important, though,
are the physical health benefits of parenting a dog. Dogs need exercise, and in
turn, their humans typically get exercise with them. Every dogs’ parents and
home are different, so some humans get more exercise from their dog(s) than
others, we personally live in an apartment complex, so we have to walk/run with
our dog rather than letting him loose in a fenced-in-backyard. Thus, we’re required
to take him outside a few times a day, and getting some sunshine is never a bad
thing (in fact, it’s something I wish we had more of on this cold, snowy/rainy
Indiana winter day)! This need to stay active has been linked to a decreased
risk of health complications, as this study found.
4. Reduced loneliness
Arguably my favorite part of being a dog mom is the constant
feeling of having a consistent companion. I know that no matter what happens in
the “real-world” during my day, I will always come home to a cute wagging tale
and cold-nosed kisses. I also know that I always have a guaranteed cuddle buddy
(that doesn’t complain when he has to cuddle me ;). It’s also helpful for
someone like me who hates being home alone to have a feeling of comfort knowing
that my pup will be there with me on nights that my fiancé is out of town. And
lastly, I have made countless friendships throughout my college career that
began with a discussion of our dogs and our experiences being dog moms. What a
great channel to socialization!
So, if you want a constant cuddle buddy – guaranteed smile – exercise partner, dogs are the way to go. And of course, who wouldn’t want to come home to a lovable pup everyday? I’m so thankful for my adorable pup and all the happiness he brings to my life. What’s your favorite thing about your pup?
How will I survive without seeing all of my family members at
least once a week? Will my best friend and I still be best friends even though
we won’t live five minutes away from each other and spend every single day
together anymore? Who will my younger siblings and cousins have to drive them
around all the time? Can I handle not having my mom by my side through
everything? How will I stay involved in this community I’ve grown up in and
loved for so long? Who will I spend my free time with? When will I get to come
home again? What if I fail? How will I figure this whole thing out? What if I
can’t handle it? What if… What if… What if…
These were all questions and thoughts I had recurrently when
preparing to move away from home for college. I was scared. Terrified. Questioning why I ever
thought it was a good idea. But, I was also incredibly
excited. Ambitious. And ostensibly unaware of what the next four (ironic, little
did I know then that I’d finish my degree in three) life-changing years would bring.
Lol remember when I was a pre-nursing major for .5 seconds? I definitely didn’t anticipate the five major changes to come.
In the week leading up to move-in day when I was packing up
all of my things and having the last “goodbye lunches” with my closest friends,
I cried. Like, multiple times a day every single day. WHY did I commit to this? Did I really even need college? I liked how things looked in my room in my parents’ house.
I liked having my own, cozy, spacious area to call my own and I liked living so
close to all of the most important people in my life. I didn’t want to give all
that up to move to a big city (I grew up in an incredibly small town) and I didn’t
want to share a room with a random girl I met on Facebook and had an awkward lunch
with once.
Of course we had to end that awkward lunch date with an equally-awkward picture in the parking garage. Isn’t that what everyone does?
The drive to Indy on move-in day was the worst. I’ve never cried so much in a two-hour period in my entire life. But then we got to the dorm, and I was greeted by my energetic and welcoming RA, and we started unpacking my things. We took a countless number of trips up and down the stairs, carrying loads of things I thought were essential that I actually ended up never using. Unpacking all my things and settling into this new space I would call home for the next nine months was exhilarating, and made me forget about all those “what if’s” that had previously consumed my mind. But then it was time for my family to leave. Again, more tears and long, tight, sincere “see ya later” hugs.
I moved in two weeks before my roommate because I participated in a summer program for incoming freshmen, which was by far the best choice I ever could have made to make the adaptation to college easier. This was where I created my first set of friends, friends that I still stay in touch with today. We all clung to each other and built unbreakable bonds, because we all had these same lost and “what the hell just happened to life as I knew it?” feelings that come with a big life change. Then when my roommate moved in, and I had this new group of friends, and I was learning my way around campus and exploring new parts of the city, life got a little easier. I started to feel more at home in this big city, and I felt more at ease with the decision I had made to move away. Still, however, completely unaware of what was to come in the next few years.
My roommate and I clicked instantly. She’s still one of my best friends, and I have no clue how I would have made it through freshman year without her. She, also from a small, rural, farming town like myself, also had no clue about what was to come with life in the city. Our shared love for Italian food and ice cream made our adventures so much more fun. We always decorated our dorm door all cute-like and participated in all the campus events. Having her to explore and adventure (and impulsively get first (and second) tattoos) with was so important in creating my love for this city and my feeling of comfort during that first year on campus. And having Matt to show us around and keep us from doing anything -too- ridiculous was definitely not a bad thing, I don’t think either of us would have survived that year without him.
Dance Marathon-ing
Fall Door Decor
One of many Italian food & ice cream dates
Yeah, the tattoos really happened
Moving away, although scary, introduced me to some of my favorite
people and my favorite places. It pushed me way beyond my comfort zone. It gave
me the chance to figure out who I want to be, what I want to do in this world. It
forced me to be independent, something I hadn’t done much before, but something
I am so incredibly thankful for today. It pushed me to chase my dreams, pursue
every opportunity whole-heartedly, and to NEVER. GIVE. UP. There were so many
times I just wanted to go home and cry to my mom. But I didn’t. I definitely cried,
and I could almost always count on Morgan to cry with me, but I’m so thankful
for those tough times. I grew from it all, and I created this life I currently
live and love. I found my place on this campus and in this city. I found my
dreams and I’ve done all that I can to pursue them. I finally found a major I
enjoy (it only took five major changes) and I have a plan. I learned to work
through my challenges instead of letting my challenges control me. And I grew
so much as an individual, into who I want to be, not just who everyone else
expected me to be. While moving away was one of the hardest things I had ever
done, it has been one of the most rewarding, beneficial, and memorable
experiences of my life.
Leave your comfort zones. Pursue experiences that seem
unattainable. Chase your dreams. And don’t put anything out of reach for
yourself. The best progress takes place outside of the comfort zone, both figuratively
and literally. Enjoy the challenge and appreciate the opportunity to make yourself,
yourself.
According to Urban Dictionary, “commitment is what transforms the promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions, and the actions which speak louder than the words. It’s making time when there is none…” (read the full definition here, it’s powerful). In short, commitment is key to success.
I have recently fully committed to chasing my dreams and
working hard toward the best version of myself, for myself. And IT. FEELS. SO.
INCREDIBLE. I had (and am still working to overcome) a -draining- tendency to
commit endlessly to other people; leaving no time, motivation, or energy to
commit to myself. But I’m actively putting an end to that. I have learned that
it’s okay to tell people no sometimes. It’s okay to kindly reject an invitation
and to instead spend that time with yourself. Because you should be just as
important of a priority in your life as everyone/thing else. If you don’t
commit to taking care of yourself and transforming yourself into the best
version of yourself that you can be, how can you expect to show up as that best
version of yourself for all the other commitments in your life?
This laptop sticker reminds me to work for my dreams EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
So, I made a commitment. I made a commitment to stop
committing my time and energy to others, and to make myself a priority. One of
my main current goals is to improve my fitness. And not just lose weight, but
to become more fit, have more energy, gain confidence, and most importantly –
improve my self-image. This commitment to myself has made such a positive
impact on all of those goals in the short one-week that I’ve decided to fully
commit.
Exactly one week ago, I started a new workout program with some friends. The first two weeks are all about commitment. When I researched the program and decided to do it, I made a goal for myself. The first week, I would make it a priority to commit to myself. Committing to the workout wasn’t necessarily what I needed to focus on (if we’re being honest, I didn’t have high expectations that I would commit to the program. I haven’t had luck sticking to a program in the past, so what would lead me to think this time would be different? I prepared myself for failure, which is a whole other discussion to come at a later time). But anyway, I knew I needed to focus on committing to myself. So, I made a plan. The workouts are only twenty minutes a day. My plan was to do those, and spend five minutes stretching at the beginning and end of each workout, and then BOOM! I’d just committed a whole THIRTY minutes of my day to MYSELF. Whaaaatttt?!
So, the first week is over. And I did it. I committed at least thirty minutes of each day to focus completely on myself and my goals. I wasn’t thinking about all the other commitments I had to other people during that time. I wasn’t thinking about what I was missing out on by spending those thirty minutes for myself instead of for others. And you know what? I didn’t miss out on anything. I was able to commit that time to myself, and in return, I had even more energy and positivity to spread throughout the day to all my other commitments. It’s incredible what a little bit of self-love can do for you.
Find a cute workout partner, and eat yummy & healthy foods.
The moral of the story isn’t that I found this new great workout
program. It isn’t that spending time and energy on other people/things is bad,
because that is absolutely not true. The moral of the story is that once you
commit to yourself, all of your other commitments ease into place. Your life
won’t fall apart if you take time out of your day for yourself. Your life will
fall together better than you ever could have imagined. Remember: Speak boldly
of your intentions, make time when there is none, and commit to YOU.
.
.
What are you committing your time and energy to? How can you
change your mindset and tweak your routine just a little bit, in order to MAKE time to commit to yourself and your
intentions?
Today was the first real, cumulative snow fall of the season, and although I hate the cold, it was a refreshing day. I had lots of plans for today, but due to the snow, I decided not to leave my house. And that was the best decision I ever could have made. I spent most of the day snuggled up inside getting a head start on some homework and watching movies while cuddled up with my pup; a day full of the relaxation I didn’t realize I so desperately needed.
*good books, comfy clothes, and yummy hot cocoa*
This is our second winter being dog
parents, and last winter, our dog got so excited every time it snowed. Since
this was the first major snowfall of this year, I was excited to take Willis
out and see his reaction to the snow again. As expected, he loved it and was
leaping and running around. Seeing his excitement for the snow reminded me of
all the snow days I had growing up, and my mind then became flooded with those
memories.
“Mom stop taking pictures and just let me run around.” – Willis
My childhood home had the slightest
hill in the backyard, and I remember my best friend and I spending lots of snow
days back there pushing each other down the tiny hill on the sled because it
wasn’t a tall enough hill for the sled to go down on its own. Looking back, I
don’t know how we ever thought it would work, but we sure had fun trying. One day,
we thought it would be fun to try to sled down the basement stairs, so we put a
sleeping bag over a tiny mattress, both climbed in, and pushed off the handrail
to slide down the stairs. We slammed into the doorframe, my best friend had an
instant bruise on her hip, and I face-planted onto the basement floor. It wasn’t
fun in-the-moment, but it gives us a good laugh when we reflect back on those
days now.
Once my younger siblings got old enough to play in the snow, there were countless snow angels, snowman building contests, and snowball fights. We also spent a lot of time at the local state park sledding, but that hike back up the hill carrying a sled and dragging along my little brother because he wasn’t moving fast enough for my eager self, was always exhausting. My favorite snow memory with them is from Christmas Eve, because we always made reindeer food with sparkles and spread it out in the front yard. Seeing their excitement over all of these always encouraged me to be excited about the winter season. That joy now comes from watching my adorable pup frolicking around in the snow like I mentioned above.
When I took my dog out for his daily walk earlier today, I was excited to explore the beauty around me. I took him on a longer walk than normal, because he loves the snow and I was so full of admiration of the beauty of the snow. Normally, I would’ve been annoyed by having to bundle up and face the cold, but as I thought about the happy memories of my childhood snow days, and as I watched my dog have so much fun in the snow, it brought a smile to my face, and I was thankful for the opportunity to spend this snow day at home, admiring all the wonderful people, opportunities, and memories in my life.
For many of my friends and peers, thisweek is the first week back to classes after almost a whole month off. Feelings of excitement, nervousness, and eagerness are common as we prepare for what’s ahead this semester. New classes, new professors, and new friends; which inevitably means new contacts saved in your phone as something like “partner from X class”. A countdown to graduation has started, and we’re trying to figure out how to make the most of this last semester.
Being my last semester of undergrad, Ithought I’d feel so prepared and ready to take on the semester. After all, I have done this a time or two. Since I’m taking all online courses, I even got started on some assignments the day before classes started! But the stresses and anxieties of the first day(s) are always there as you struggle to figure out your plan for the semester.
How will you organize yourself? Will you use a paper planner, online planner, phone calendar? How will you delegate time for work, homework, self-care, and a social life?
My *blank* planner and adorable desk cactus
I used to write my assignments out in my planner as soon as I got my syllabus. But then I learned that syllabi change frequently and having things scribbled out and re-written in my planner only caused me more anxiety than the assignments themselves. I now rely on my Canvas and phone calendars and have found that helps me feel much more organized. Plus getting that line through the assignment on the Canvas calendar once it’s complete is a great feeling.
There are so many things I would tell my freshman-year-self if I could. For example, my first semester I wasted a few hours the night before class color-coding my cute new planner, only to have all the due dates changed in the first class. I wasted so much time and money trying to print off everything to be extra prepared, only to learn that it’s so much easier to have files & take notes digitally. Looking back, I often laugh at how naïve I was and how much harder I made things for myself, but it’s been a fun yet terrifying journey learning these things through trial and error over time. I’m glad I finally feel like I’ve got this thing [somewhat] figured out.
What works for you?
What’s the one thing you wish you would’ve known when you started college? How do you get organized at the start of the semester/stay organized throughout the semester?
Adapt to Adulting 