Getting Back into Your Life After Being Sick

The last week and a half (along with all the stress that finals week brings), I've had a nasty bout of flu/cold/sore throat/ridiculously loud and socially inconvenient cough. There's no other way to say it, being sick just sucks. And when you're sick, sometimes the only way to handle it is to baby yourself a bit. Let yourself lounge in bed, watching Netflix. Take up friends on their offers to go get food for you. Let work just wait a little while.

But what about when you're feeling better? I think that how you treat yourself when you're getting back into the swing of things matters just as much as how you treat yourself while you're sick. Here are my little goals as I recover and get back to class + work.

Plan positively / It's easy to feel like I'm so far behind because of the time I took off from being sick but focusing on all that I have left to do isn't productive. When you write down all that you have to do, try to remember to prioritize + really--I know it's hard--but try not to stress yourself out too much.

Be realistic / Your first day back (wherever back is) you won't be able to do anything, most likely. Maybe you need to take a mid-day nap, or opt out of some non-essential plans you had made for the day. Ease yourself back into things.

Treat yourself kindly /  I like this as a rule of thumb for myself all the time but especially after an illness. I've been trying to listen to my body a little more closely since I know I'm not still 100%. My throat's still a bit sore, so I'm not scarfing down raw veggies, I'm still eating oatmeal and soft foods. The first few days after a cold, you're probably tired. Let yourself sleep early instead of going out. Listen to your body and give it what it needs.

How are you handling flu season? Are any of you babies about being sick like I am? (No? Just me?)

6 Good Things Right Now

(photo by Nick West for Unsplash)

Guys I've been so pouty today. My head hurts, my room is messy, I miss H and it's everyone's fault but mine. Even though he only visited me for five days, H leaving has really thrown me for a loop and I'm still in that short-term depression stage that comes right after visits in long term relationships. Sigh. 

Anyways, I'm gonna be an optimist today and talk about a few things that are awesome right now, even when a few things aren't. Really, life is pretty good. 

1. I got two really exciting hand-lettering jobs. One is making hand-lettered chalkboard signs for someone's 40th birthday....

2. ...and the other is even cooler. I'm working to calligraph a design for a girl's tattoo! Ever since I saw the tattoo that Rebecca Caridad did for her brother, I've loved the idea and I'm so excited to work on it!

3. Work is going smoothly. The 4th of July week is the very peak of renter season in my town on Lake Michigan and naturally all of those tourists flock to my ice cream shop at night to cool off. Good for business but not for my stress levels, so I'm glad that things are calming down a little bit.

4. I'm having a lot of fun working on my note card + print line (which will hopefully be out in the fall). I'm constantly scanning Pinterest and the internet for short, new quotes. I really like using short, simple maxims that you can remember easily. Some of my favorites for prints are...

"Good things take time."

"Wherever you are, be all there." (Jim Elliot)

"Do what you can, where you are, with what you have." (Teddy Roosevelt) 

5. It sounds a little mean, but now that H isn't here, I have more time to read. Seriously, just trying to look on the bright side! I'm currently reading Revenge Wears Prada, the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada.

6. My tablet. It's an Android Venue and Android drove me crazy for a little while but now I have to say, I'm kind of obsessed. I got it as through a Dell promotion and it cam free with a laptop I was going to buy anyways. It's so much fun to use it for my hand-lettering and keeping my documents organized for work and all. Also, Netflix is so much better on a tablet than on an iPhone. Yay!

What good things are going on in your life?

Tips on Starting a Journaling Habit

At the beginning of February, I decided that I wanted to start a regular journaling habit. I've said it time and again: journaling is not for me. My brain thinks faster than I can write and I get impatient that I can't get on paper my true thoughts on things. But I've read over and over and over again how good journaling is for you, both mentally and (surprisingly) physically. And so I keep giving it another try. 

Over the last six weeks, I've miraculously found a habit for myself in journaling. For the first time ever, I actually enjoy journaling. I don't journal every day--maybe only 2-3 times a week. But now I see why it's such a valuable habit to invest in. Journaling helps me review my day and forgive my mistakes and celebrate my victories.

01. Don't reread your entries.

I used to write journal entries with the intention of 'sounding cool' in case I ever went back and read them later. I would pretend like I hadn't really messed up or that I didn't get embarrassed or like I had it all together. But I didn't (duh). Journaling should be a place where you can let out the feelings that you hide all day, not another place where you have to pretend to be someone you're not. If you find this is hard for you, try journaling on a scrap piece of paper and then ripping it up. Eventually, I learned that I can write anything.

02. Skip what you don't want to talk about.

On that same note, I felt like I had to mention every part of my day. Journaling is for documenting life, but it's more a cathartic experience. Don't try to make a scrapbook for your kids out of your journal. If something was boring, stressful, sad or uncomfortable about your day, you can choose to journal your feelings out or you can choose to ignore it. It's your choice.

03. Have a prompt.

Sometimes on less busy days, it was tempting to skip journaling because I felt I didn't have any 'news' to record. Turns out, those are the days I enjoyed journaling the most. When you don't have a lot to say, choose a prompt to center your entry around. I'll do a post on sample journal prompts soon, but some simple ideas are to talk about two good things and two bad things about your day, a mistake you made, or something that made you smile. For more ideas, I wrote a post a few weeks ago with 10 prompts for gratitude journaling.

04. Set a timer.

Journaling can be tiring; that's just a fact of the matter. Especially when it's a new activity, it can be easy to journal too much and get burnt out. If you find that happening, set a timer for 5, 10 or 15 minutes. Remember: you can stop whenever you want--even if you've only written one sentence or you're mid-story.

05. Set a time. 

If you're trying to set any habit, it's incredibly valuable to set a time every day or every week to do it. I journal right before I get in bed. I'll brush my teeth/floss/etc and hop in bed with my journal and my pen. Eventually, my mind starts to remind me when I hop in bed that it's time to journal. If you're just starting out, an alarm or a phone ping can be especially helpful!

Do you journal? What are your tips for starting a habit of journaling?

10 Prompts for Gratitude Journaling

Over the last couple months (though I'm totally not a huge 'journaler'), I've gotten into an oh-so-fulfilling habit of gratitude journaling. If you've never taken time to keep a gratitude journal, it's exactly what it sounds like--journaling about things you feel grateful for. The first few times I g-journaled (hah "g-journal"...sounds totally street, right?), I literally just made a list of things I was grateful for, kindergartener-at-thanksgiving style. And it got boring. I mean, how fulfilling is it really to write out that I'm thankful for my friends and family (duh)?

It was just not the way to do it. Since then, I've come up with more thorough, more specific, more creative prompts that I use when I g-journal. Varying what I write about + learning to write more precisely has done wonders for the practice. I love going back and reading my favorite bits of my days from months ago! Because I want to share that lovely-happy-fuzzy feeling, here are ten of my favorite prompts for gratitude journaling.

1. Take a walk outside for ten minutes of so. Just walk to the end of your street and back. Take in the beauty around you + appreciate the feeling of being outside, from nature to the fresh air you're breathing. Take note of three beautiful things you noticed. When you get home, journal about those things, why you appreciate them + how they made you feel.

2. At the end of the day, review your day + what you did. Think of at least two or three things that you did today that you're proud of--even if it's small. Did you ace that research paper? Or did you exercise even though you didn't want to? Write that down, as well as why it happened. This can help remind you what behaviors make you feel good + encourage you to do those more often!

3. Write a thank you note to someone--no one said gratitude was meant to stay private! Be thorough + specific, reminding that person of how much you need + appreciate them in your life. Bonus points if it's for someone unexpected, like a cafeteria server or assistant. Now go deliver that little envelope of love!

4. Take stock of all the various spheres of your life + spend a day being grateful for them. Take one day to be thankful for...your school/work, your family, your friends, your home, your lifestyle, your own body (yes!) or things that you read or heard during the day. As always, get specific! What do your friends do exactly that makes you so grateful? Is it that they are always happy to eat ice cream with you late at night after a bad day? Or they always make you laugh? 

5. Think of some of your favorite memories with friends, with family, as a child, or while traveling. Write down as much as you remember about that time, down to the thoughts in your head and the sights and smells around you.

6. If you've had a bad day, take time to nurture ideas about how you can turn the bad things into good things. If you got in a fight with your best friend for example, reflect on it + yourself, looking to see if you can apologize for something or communicate your feelings more calmly and clearly. 

7. Pick one person, just one person, that you're thankful for. The person who helped you out on that big project? The stranger who smiled at your in the grocery store when you looked upset? Someone who chose to celebrate with you? If you can't write them a thank you note, write a thank you note to God/the world/their momma for putting them into your life today.

8. Draw a picture of something that made you happy today, whatever that may be. When you're done, write a little blurb about the emotions that the picture could not express.

9. Write about your greatest achievements in your life. Then write about your smallest, but most cherished achievements.

10. This one's less a prompt but more something not to write about. Be careful not to write about something because you think you should be grateful for it. Some days, you may be grateful for your family. Some days, you may not be. That's okay. Embrace the things you're grateful for, not the things you think you should be grateful for.

I hope you put time into this awesome practice! I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments--how do you write in your gratitude journal?

living for the weekdays + free wallpaper + something new

Hello friends! Happy Tuesday! Or almost happy Wednesday if you live in my part of the world. Usually on Wednesdays, my thoughts tend to sound something like this: "Still three more days until the weekend."

But I'm making an attempt at being positive by telling myself that my weekdays are not something to race through or get done with, even if it seems that way sometimes (/all of the time, ever). So I'm trying to focus on the potential that my weekdays have. My weekdays generally consist of classes, homework, tutoring and if it's a good day, exercise.

Instead of "still three more days", I'm trying this:

• I have three more days this week to ace tests.


• I have three more days this week to help a kid hate math less.


• I have three more days this week to make someone's day a little less stressful.


• I have three more days this week to do something fantastic.

When I focus on it that way, I find that I'm excited for tomorrow, because I can do great things with it. I can succeed in my school work and lighten someone else's load and just generally cheer other up with my witty words and stunning good looks.

Because if we're really just living for the weekend, then we're not living for much at all.

As always, I like to remind myself that my happiness is my choice (I figure if I keep telling myself that, eventually I'll remember it). So this is my new iPhone background. I invite you to use it as yours or share it however you want. Just click on the iPhone to download.

And nowwww, I want to try something new. Last week, I posted about science for the first time (not counting Marie Curie). I was really nervous about it, since it's not really a "blog-friendly" topic, if you will. But I got a lot of good feedback--lots of people said they loved it even if they didn't love science. And they loved that I was posting something that I wanted to, just because it's me. And I do want my blog to be "for me", as I think all lifestyle bloggers do. But I also want it to be read.

So I'm testing out a new idea to kind of integrate science into other posts. I will still have regular science posts (I think), but infrequently. Instead, I'll add a paragraph or two at the bottom of regular posts about science, whether it's something I've learned recently, something in the news or a video. I hope you'll find these little science bits interesting but not overwhelming if you're not into it! As always, please let me know how you like it.

Science Bit of the Day

The other day I heard a fascinating story on NPR about a neuroscientist named James Fallon who had studied the brains of psychopaths for many years. At a family dinner, Fallon's mom mentioned that he should look into his dad's family history. So he did, only to find that his own lineage was full of murderers and other criminals. He convinced his family to undergo PET brain scans so he could compare their brain activities to those of psychopaths. He found that all of their brains were normal (aka they weren't serial killers) but found a terrifying discovery within his own brain. Want to find out? Listen or read the story here.

Get Happy in 10 Minutes a Day

Hi friends! I'm hanging out at the Nectar Collective today and talking about ways to get happy when your life is busier than Martha Stewart at Christmas. Click the banner to see the post!

Weekly Wishes #14: positivity + giraffes + sisters

Today, I’m linking up with The Nectar Collective for Weekly Wishes.  The Weekly Wishes is where we all can share our posts about goals, challenges, and wishes for the week! 


Last week, I wished to work on exercising more and make good progress on my big project with Aukele. Kele and I hit a setback on our project but we're still trucking and I'm so excited to share it with you all very soon! Get excited!! However...exercising...I have had the weirdest/most annoying bout of the flu since Monday night (still have it!) and that kind of puts exercise in its place. But I'm putting it back on the list again for this week!

I'm buried under makeup work but I've got a new week ahead of me! Here are my weekly wishes for this coming week:

Exercise! Just...yes. This needs to happen.

Do my makeup work, promptly. I’ve got soo much makeup work to do because I missed all of my classes last week. I really need to carve out time to get back on track!

Schedule blog posts for next week! Exciting thing--I'm going to the mountains next Sunday through Wednesday. But don't worry, I totally will have fun things ready for you! Side note, if you're interested in guest posting, shoot me an email or tweet at me!

Choose positivity. Whoa Allie, four goals?! You're crazy. Anyways, this is a new one for me. I'm a bit of a pessimist to be honest, but I just want to take time in the midst of the stress this week to be happy. Any tips?!

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One way to choose positivity--linking up with Erika for Grad-itude again! Grad-itude is a link up about being grateful! I loved looking through everyone else’s happy thoughts last week so I’m in it again. Here are three things I’m grateful for right now.

My health. I'm still under the weather right now but it first off makes me thankful that I'm not sick all the time! Like, I never appreciate being able to keep food down or breathe through my nose until I can't anymore. Secondly, my flu is so not a big deal compared to how sick some others are. I got a good life.

My sister! This weekend I visited my sister at school and we hung out all weekend. My sister and I are polar opposites, but I'm appreciating that more as an okay thing the older we get. Love my sis!

Good music. So in the middle of all my crazy makeup work and travels and busyness, I listened to some really great music this weekend. I had my Pandora set between Jim Croce, Avett Bros and Barcelona and it was just awesome. No thumbs down over here!

Now head on over to The Nectar Collective & Chimerikal and join the link-ups.

What do you wish for this week? What are you grateful for?

life-changing advice.

Hi y'all. So I know this was yesterday's Blogtember prompt but I've been sick so I'm allowed to be behind on things, right? Please say yes.

Day 3. Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered. 

We're gonna keep it short and sweet today. The simplest, smallest piece of advice I try to guide my life around is this: be the best you that you can be.

That's it.

That's something we always here as kids--"you don't have to do the best, just do your best." But I mean it in a different way. I mean that every action you take, take a split-second (our brains are speedy like that) to think, "Is doing this going to make me a better person or a worse person?" Oftentimes, that can put you back on the right path.

But take it a step further--it's not always about right and wrong. Maybe you want to have ice cream. Does ice cream make you a worse person? Possibly. But that advice puts the question on you to decide and weigh the benefits of health versus happiness. And it's totally okay to choose happiness. It really is.

Take life day by day and just be the best that you can be. That's all anyone could ask right?

And to put you in a good mood, here's a pretty picture.



 

Funky mood? Not for long.

Being in a funk sucks. I get in a funk, for no reason at all every few weeks or so and I feel just miserable. I’m grumpy at everyone I see, I stomp around and I get things done about as fast as molasses in January. You get these too? Congrats, you’re normal. Well get your mouse ready to bookmark this because I’m about to give you foolproof steps to take the first bus out of Funkytown.

1. Be extra funky. Tell yourself and everyone you see, “I am in a funk.” Make extra grumpy faces at people on purpose and scowl at your goldfish. You’re not allowed to get out of your funk. The more you try to be in a funk, the harder it is.

2. Decide to get out of the funk. Why? Because being in a funk sucks. Come on, keep up. Admit you’re in a funk and try to be open to positivity. Then proceed.

3. Take care of yourself. Take a shower. Girls, put on a little makeup, do a face mask, paint your nails. It’s harder to feel funky when you look fabulous.

4. Be productive. Make a to do list and commit to doing one thing start to finish even if it’s small. Do a load of laundry. Reply to a few emails. Work on something that will occupy your mind.

5. Talk to someone who loves you. Find your funniest/most awesome friend and call them. Say, “I’m in a funk; entertain me, friend.”

6. Go outside. A little walk/run/bike ride can do wonders for a funky mood. Even sitting outside with a book or iPod can shift your mood from sad to sassy!

7. And lastly, watch these gifs, put googly eyes on stuff,  Jes-style, listen to this and read this book.

Choices + free iPhone backgrounds

Because I believe that your attitude is always a choice.

           

Download any of these iPhone backgrounds.

P.S. If you like these, please pin or share them using the buttons below.

Things I love about me + why that's not arrogant

Does this sound arrogant, that I'm making a list of things that make me awesome? Probably, but I don't think it should. Everyone should think they're awesome. Sometimes I feel like we're not "allowed" to admit when we're good at things. If someone asks me if I'm smart, I don't feel like I can say yes, even though I know I am. I have to do a little  "ermm...sorta...yeah...I guess so...maybe" kind of answer. But what's so wrong with admitting that?It feels a little awkward to do this post, but hey, awkward things can be fun.

1. I'm smart, like school smart. I make good grades. I test well. I'm in the top of most of my classes. (Street smart...not so much.) But I also think I'm good at not being annoying about it and making other people feel stupid.


2. I have fantastic taste in music. Please ask me for recommendations, that makes me so happy.


3. I'm really sarcastic and cool people think that's funny. I have a really dry sense of humor and sometimes people don't catch it but sometimes I can really make people laugh and I like that.


4. I'm good at making adults love me. I'm great at being polite and making small talk so parents or older friends tend to love me.


5. I'm good at reading. Is this a skill? Kinda. I'm a fast reader I guess I should say. And I have great taste in books (again, I think).


6. I'm good at fishtailing (a kind of braid).


7. I'm athletic and strong. Like for my size, which is small.


8. I'm great at arguing, especially in formal debate. I think logic & debate was one of the best classes I've taken. Because of it, I can point out your fallacies all day.


9. I'm good at being excited about silly things that most people don't care about, like whale sharks.


10. I'm good with kids. I don't want kids, but they tend to like me.


11. I'm adventurous! I want to travel everywhere and do awesome things.


12. I'm good at accessorizing! Especially with statement necklaces.


13. I have cool looking eyes. Sometimes they're brown, sometimes they're green, sometimes I've got one of each.


14. I'm pretty. That was the hardest one to write and I'm convinced you're all gonna judge me, but hey, I think so. And I think you should think you're pretty too.


15. I'm good at time management. I'm rarely late for things and I almost always get things done when I want to even if I only have a short amount of time.


16. I'm really good at spelling. When I was younger, I was in a lot of spelling bees, so now I know how to spell weird things like antediluvian.


17. Semi-related, I kick butt at Scattergories and Scrabble.


18. I plan for the future.


19. I'm naturally curious about lots of things.


20. I don't take myself too seriously.

Join the awkwardness--what's good about you? What makes you awesome?

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By the way, I got this idea from another blog who called it an "Awesome List" but for the life of me, I can't figure out who it is. If anyone knows the blog, please let me know so I can credit!