3 Week Journey To A Better Self: Day 4

Thursday, May 14, 2020

It is day 4 of my personal journey. I worked on my flipbook a bit this morning, and then again this afternoon, but it still has a long way to go. I keep asking my boyfriend to look at it to see how it is, but he says "there's no story progression" even though I'm not asking about that. I just wanted him to see how the color looks. I'm pretty happy with it considering I'm no professional and this is my first flip book ever. I never would have had the patience for it without the kit from Andymation. I give that man props for being able to make all the flipbooks, stop motions, and animations he does. He's brilliant! I wish I could make things that looked that good, but for now I've got my light bulb project.

I also made matcha sugar cookies because I made royal icing the other day instead of buttercream and didn't want it to go to waste. We ran out of vanilla so I had to leave that out of the recipe, but I don't think you can tell. I think I'm on a green tea and matcha kick lately, and I'm cool with that. I think people either love it or hate it. The cookies are so sweet though because of the frosting. But so delicious!

I definitely had to do the second video of my workout after that. Cassey really kicked my butt into gear with this one. The first video was a bit easier to handle, but the second one burned so bad! Definitely had to take a few breaks, but that's okay. I'm getting stronger and taking it at my own pace. And I'm feeling great about it and about myself!

I decided to make a playlist of songs I've been listening to during quarantine. I did it on Spotify and just just called it "Quarantine." Spotify had some interesting suggestions as you can see from the picture. I'm tempted to make a new playlist just for these songs lol. 

3 Week Journey To A Better Self: Day 3

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Already starting to lose track of the days. It hasn't been that long yet, is this how other people have felt this whole time? Anyways, today was the first day where I really didn't feel like working out and really had to push myself to do it. I honestly almost stopped after round 2, but I kept going because I made a commitment to myself to do this to better myself. And I know that I feel better when I do workout. I really wish I had a fitbit or a smart watch that could track things like heartrate and steps for me. I'd be really curious and it would help a lot just in general. I'd also be curious about sleep. I feel like I either toss and turn all night or barely move at all, no in-between! I'm finishing up my last few oz of water as I'm writing this. I drank a lot of green tea today, so I wouldn't have been too mad at myself for not drinking the full 32oz of water, but I'm still glad I'm doing it. It's good for me.

I listened to more of Clockwork Princess today. Things are really starting to happen now! I'm 73% through and I still don't want it to end! I never thought I'd say that about a Cassandra Clare book! Next I want to finish Blood for Blood finally and then maybe start World War Z. I really am interested in reading something Pandemic related. I think looking at parallels are interesting. I know that some people get anxiety from it, but I am a researcher and I need to know things.

Today I also started using my Andymation flipbook kit for the first time! Filming a video of it. I'm enjoying the process, but you need a lot of patience for it! That is something I'm only good at in moderation. I tend to want to get things done really quickly, but art lets me take a step back and slow down! I think it's starting to look really cool, so hopefully it'll be fun in the end.

On an unrelated note, I had a birthday discount coupon to use at American Eagle, so I made an order of a pair of sweatpants, a bralette, and a new bathing suit because I've gained weight and my old bathing suits do not fit. It's a bummer, but they were ridiculously old anyways and I don't even know if I'll get to use it for sure or not with the state of the world right now. I got it cheap so fingers crossed it fits and maybe I'll be able to at least wear it once. The sweatpants I anticipate wearing a lot and the bralette I just hope fits. I really have to guess my sizes. I'm really excited for them though. I really need to slowly update my wardrobe. This is what happens when you have a chronic illness that can make your weight drastically fluctuate. I don't even care about the weight gain or loss, I just want clothes that fit if that makes any sense?

3 Week Journey To A Better Self: Day 2

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

I am starting to look forward to my daily workouts because it gives me not only something to do, but also makes me feel like I've accomplished something. Being able to check off a workout every day also is making me feel better about myself. I post the graphic from blogilates on my Instagram stories daily but I am also checking off workouts in my bullet journal. This is helping a lot. I'm only a little sore after yesterday's workout which means I am definitely getting stronger by doing these. Although, I feel like leg/butt exercises have always been the easiest for me. Once we hit arm week, that's when I'm really going to struggle. I did struggle a little bit to do today's workout just because I already hurt from yesterday. But that happened last week with the ab challenge as well. I know it's going to get easier from here. Plus after my workout I showed and exfoliated my body, which is usually something I only do if I'm shaving, but was a nice self care moment.

I also painted my nails today while I listened to Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. I'm over halfway through the book, and I'm really glad that I'll have Chain of Gold to look forward to because I love these characters and don't want their story to end. For my nails I decided to do a gradient starting with black on my thumbs and going through various shades of purple and then pink on my pinkie nails. I also added the Aurora Unicorn Skin topper from Holo Taco on top and it looks amazing.

And just a random thing about today is that my dad found this instant coffee yesterday while looking for something in a cabinet that doesn't get used much. He told me he didn't remember buying instant coffee ever and it must be older than me. When he dumped it out today, he found a coupon that expired in 1992! That coffee is at least 4 years older than me. We find entertainment in the littlest of places these days. 

3 Week Journey To A Better Self: Day 1

Hello all,
As I am writing this, it is May 11th and it starts the first week of my 3 week break before my next grad school class begins. During this time I was hopeful that I would have a job, but given the current situation that hasn't been possible. Instead, I will be using this time to better myself and forming good habits. This might be the only time in my life that I won't have work or school to worry about for this long of a time, so I have a plan.
So what does that mean?
Well, I have started getting back into working out. I just completed the Blogilates 7 day ab challenge and I plan to continue with her 7 day challenges over the next few weeks. Today began glute week and I am so excited! I already feel such a difference in myself after the week of abs and these workouts really are challenging without being so hard that I feel like giving up. lol. They have also made such a difference in my ability to fall asleep at night and for that I am so grateful! I just did today's workout and I feel like it was so much easier because I have built up the strength over the past week to be able to do the exercises. I am really proud of myself.
I am also trying to drink at least 32oz of water per day and I have been healthier with my snacking. I've swapped things like chips and pretzels for fruit or carrots and hummus. We've been making homemade hummus, yogurt, and kombucha. So good!
I hope to not only work out during this time but also to take part in other forms of self care as well.
This not only means having a self care day including a face mask and painting my nails, but also creative outlets and reading as well. I am so hyped to have this time to be creative and do things that make me happy.  

Things I plan on doing during this time include:

• Continuing my workout challenges
• Drink 32oz of water per day
• Make art
• Record lots of things for youtube
• Read
• Have a self care day once per week
• Blog about it all!

How To Stay Possitive When You Feel Like Everything Is Falling Apart Around You: Self Care in Quarantine

The world is in a weird place right now, and I think everyone is struggling at least a little bit with adjusting to the "new normal." You might be doing work or school at home full time for the first time ever. Or you might be a senior who is rightfully upset that they can't complete the year with their classmates. You might just be someone struggling with job loss or with the illness itself. Here are some tips that have helped me lately to get back on track and feel a little less down.

1. Get into a routine: I feel way less productive if all I do is roll out of bed and spend the day in my PJs until it's time to go to bed again and change into new PJs. Making a routine will allow you to feel some sense of normalcy each day even if all you are doing is watching Netflix. I just finished my class and have 3 weeks before my next one starts. I do not currently have a job because we just moved in February and I was planning on looking during this time that has turned into quarantine. I know that without a routine I am going to go stir crazy, so I am being extremely mindful of this. I always make sure to get up, make the bed, have my coffee, take my medications, get dressed, eat breakfast and start my day off right.
2. Journal: This might seem lame or unhelpful, but journaling can help free up space in your mind and allow you to get out your emotions in a healthy way. I am someone that has a hard time sleeping being my brain goes into overdrive. I cannot get the racing thoughts to stop sometimes without getting them out on paper and telling myself to let go. This will also be something to look back on to share with your children or grandchildren when they ask you about the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020 for their history class. If you have kids, get them into it too. You could even go a step further and make a time capsule. Add drawings, photos of the price of gas, journal entries, a letter to your future self.
3. Make your bed: This is such a simple task, but doing it first thing in the morning really gives you a sense of accomplishment and can inspire you to do more. I always feel better when the space around me is clean. And I love being able to crawl into a made bed at night rather than a mess of sheets, blankets, and pillows.
4. Don't forget to shower!: Something as simple as a shower can make you feel refreshed and ready to take on the world. If this is something you've been struggling with, remember to take it slow. You don't need to do a full routine, just wash your hair, body, and get out. Save shaving for another day. Or if you feel like doing a full routine, maybe use a deep conditioner or a DIY  body scrub. Whether you do a quick wash or a full on spa day routine, just make the effort and you will feel better for it.
5. Drink more water: Again, something that seems so simple. I am the kind of person that loves my coffee, tea, and soda and doesn't really like the taste of plain old boring water. I have been challenging myself to drink 32oz of water per day lately in addition to my other preferred beverages. I add lemon to it or other fruit that we can find easily at the grocery store, and this makes it way easier to drink the water because it actually tastes like something.
6. Exercise!: Now, if you are like me, this is the last thing you want to do right now. So start slow and do something you like! Walk your dog, walk around your neighborhood, do a stretching routine, follow a youtube video... the possibilities are endless. For the month of May, I am following the7 day challenges that blogilates is releasing every week. This first week has been abs, but honestly it is really much more of a total body workout. I am so sore! But it feels so good to check off that box every day! Doing something like this that I can follow along with and check off really makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something every day rather than UGH I need to workout. I have also been sleeping way better and my anxiety has been helped so much by this. And these are things I know happen when I exercise, it's just finding that initial motivation to do it!
7. Read: I enjoy reading but it can be difficult for me to allow myself to take a moment to slow down and pick up a book. I feel like I don't deserve the time to relax when there are so many other things I should be doing. But this is a bad mindset to have and I am trying to get past that during this time. But, I have found audiobooks really helpful because I can do other things at the same time. I use scribd and Libby for my audiobooks and this also prevents me from spending money on books if they are available to me on these apps. 

I hope you find some of these tips helpful... hopefully it's not just a repeat of what everyone is saying. These are genuinely things that have helped me feel better during this time.

Feeling Down Lately... They Called Me With No Job Offer

Sometimes I can't help but get down on myself and wonder if I picked the wrong field to study. I got my BA in Environmental Studies and am currently working on my Master's of Science with no jobs in sight. Especially no jobs in sight now with COVID-19. Don't get me wrong, I am glad I am safe at home and that other people can be safe at home. But I also had high hopes of being able to find a job in the field that I have been dreaming of being a part of for so long and have worked hard to become a part of. I am scheduled to graduate in December of this year, but where I stand now financially, I am not sure that I will even be able to achieve that.

Recently, I was contacted by a place I had sent an application to and they asked me for a phone call. I was so excited. I thought for sure I was at least being consider for a position. Why else would a business ask for a phone call? So I scheduled my phone call and waited anxiously for it. I did my research, learned about the specific Environmental Management System they used, prepared the skills I had that could relate to their specific business. I had all my ducks in a row. I barely slept the night before out of nerves. I waited for the clock to hit 11:30 and for the phone to ring.

Then my phone call happened. One of the first words the man said to me was that there were no job openings currently available. My heart dropped. I thought, why are we speaking over the phone now then? Why are you wasting my time? Everything I had planned immediately went out the window. It was supposed to be a 30 minute phone call which ended up being 45 minutes, with me talking for less than 5 minutes total and him going on about the water treatment facility and how a position MIGHT open up in the future and how I could "literally get my feet wet" starting working at the company. I tried to ask specifics about the job and he couldn't give me any and deflected by offering me a tour. I originally said yes, but later emailed saying no. I said I have no experience with that, as in actual NO EXPERIENCE, but that didn't matter. My skills would be useless and all he could describe was sludge removal from lagoons and how it could be a "resume builder", why did you call my resume impressive then?

This whole situation was extremely embarrassing for me. Here I was putting myself out there, then thinking I had a shot, then being offered a position that, not only did not exist, but was also so low a skill level that other companies look for people with high school degrees or equivalent to do the job. I was so embarrassed and felt humiliated. Here I was with a big list of skills on what they called an "impressive" resume, and this was my offer? A non-existent job, with no salary offer, no day to day responsibilities to state, and not utilizing a single thing I put on my resume? For something that might not even happen. My mind could not wrap my head around what happened.

I suppose I was one of those people who had high hopes of being able to save the world in one way or another. I thought that I would find a job that made me feel like I was doing something worthwhile and important. That my reason for existing was to help ensure the planet continued to exist. And when things look as grim as things are right now... I can't help but feel I made some mistakes in my life. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I do. When something like this comes along and hits you in your ego it makes you question if you are in fact better than that or if all you are ever going to be worth is a body to move sludge.

But maybe that is also just a feeling my generation has in general. Sure, some Millennials were lucky to find jobs and be able to support themselves and start families. But how many of us are doing what we actually want to be doing? Maybe that is something I will have to accept. Maybe all the studying wasn't worth it. Maybe I just know a lot of information that will never get me anywhere besides behind a cash register or worse. And Maybe I just need to learn how to accept that. I really hope this isn't true. But for now, I've just been feeling down lately... and I think it's okay sometimes to just let yourself feel what you feel in order to move past it. I'll get there eventually, but for now I just want to curl up in my blanket and forget the rest of the world for a while.

Overtone Rose Gold For Brown Hair Review: With Before & After PIc! Plus discount link!

I recently decided to try Overtone the color depositing conditioner. I wanted to get the rose gold color for blond hair, but they were out of stock so I picked up the rose gold for brown hair. My hair is dark blond and lightens when I go out into the sun. The ends are more of a highlighted blond while my roots are closer to a light brown. I knew that because my hair was lighter it would be more of a bright pink than a rose gold and I was fine with that. Keep your hair color in mind while ordering if you plan on doing so.

I ended up ordering the set that included the color depositing deep conditioner, a regular size bottle of their everyday color depositing conditioner, and a travel size bottle of the everyday conditioner.

It arrived very quickly, it took less than a week, but I did order the express shipping because I was worried about it taking too long in the current situation. It was packaged nicely and I found it funny that the box said they would put a mirror there but I already know how good I look. We like a company with humor. 

 I was a little intimidated by just how neon the color in the container was! But I followed the directions and I really loved the bright pink results I ended up with! And it smells super strongly of cinnamon which was amazing. But if you are sensitive to smell, might be something to consider. The everyday conditioner has the same smell, but not as strong.
The deep conditioner left my hair feeling soft but definitely like there was something in it. It almost felt slightly chalky, but this did not last long. It did not feel damaging at all, which I liked because I am still trying to grow my hair out.






 

Here's a little Before and After photo:

For me, the bright color lasted about a week and a half before fading to what would be considered more of a rose gold look. I was not using a color safe shampoo, but I did continue to use their everyday conditioner. My roots faded significantly faster because I do not put conditioner there. I think the color would completely fade after maybe a month and a half. I ended up re-dying my hair after the one month mark because I had used about half the container for my first color and wanted to use the rest. Came out just as good the second time.
I highly recommend if you want to try a non-permanent hair color. If you want something that will last a long time though, this might not be for you.

If you are interested in trying Overtone, check them out at this link to get $10 off your first purchase!