Routines Make Us Crazy or Sane

I've really been lacking lately on this whole blogging thing, so I'm on a new time management schedule, which seems to be working so far. I spend the day more efficiently, getting lots of stuff done before and after work, and not just letting it all fall apart after I get home from work, like I was before.

I'm not sure if any of you are big into getting yourself on a healthy routine, but trust me, its been doing wonders to me. It just takes little steps, and you have to try hard not to let it overwhelm you at first.

Here's a basic rundown of what I've been doing:

• Morning routine:
• Wake up no later than 7:30am
• Exercises, such as running, yoga, sit-ups.
• Shower
• Solid breakfast and my coffee ;)
• Relax until 9:30-10:30am with leisurely, creative activity.
• Afternoon routine:
• Eat/make sizable breakfast
• Get ready for the day
• Go to work! (my typical shift right now is noon to 5pm)
• Evening routine:
• Eat a small dinner no later than 7:30pm (Early and small dinner, because your metabolism slows down the later it gets, and if you eat too close to sleep, it can cause indigestion)
• More creative time
• Off screen by 9-9:30 (this means computers, tv, cellphones, anything that can effect sleeping habits)
• Bedtime routine (brushing teeth, face washing, etc)
• 15 minute stretch
• Read/do puzzles in bed until I fall asleep no later than 11pm

NOW, this is just a rundown of my routine. It works for me, and may not for anyone else by any means. I've been sleeping poorly, and this is all to try and correct that, as well as force me into a generally healthier lifestyle. A lot of whats above only applies to a day that evolves around my work day, and does not include what to do if I have plans. 

Some daily outfits....:

Room is messy due to living with a messy boy. XD

A Good Blogger...

Blogs every day! And I am terrible at that. Positivity is often a hard thing to keep up with. I'm trying my best!

So far, though, in my absence, my skin has cleared up quite a bit, so I am very pleased about that.

aw, you may not be able to see much of a difference, but here's what I looked like a month ago.

Even the bags under my eyes have become less raccoon like!~ Progress.

What were my tactics? Welllllllll, I'll tell you!

• Better sleep! It really helps both balancing out your stress levels, which helps keep you from breaking out with stress-acne. As well, it keeps those bags slightly under control.
• Pinning hair out of your face if you are going to sleep or going to exercise. It keeps the grease from your hair from rubbing on your brow and cheeks. 
• Smiling more. Stress-acne is such a feisty butt-head, seriously.
• Sun exposure! I've been trying to get a natural tan, which isn't working. I just freckle, and stay just as pale, but at least it helps clear my skin. Remember to wear sunscreen though! Try and get all natural/organic stuff, so you don't get a lot of chemicals in your skin!
• Moisturize and cleanse! And don't give up! I've been moisturizing my skin every day up to 3 times a day for about 2 months, and cleansing every 2 to 3 days (which I could do more of, but I'm lazy, because cleansing take a little more time), and I've seen a pretty good improvement in my skin! But it takes time. Don't expect immediate results. It can take up to a month before you see any improvement, but I believe you are training your skin to be healthier as well as your habits. I just picked up the cheapest, animal friendly products I could find at my nearest Co-op, but I may try new products down the line.
• What I use:
• Answers from Nature's Botanical Moisture Creme: 
  
• MyChelle's Fruit Enzyme Cleanser:
  
  
  
• Also, sometimes good old Aloe Vera gives a bit of a moisturizing boost as well, and I've been using it when I'm wondering about.

I think that's about it as far as my skin goes. I'll probably be adding more steps to my face routine later down the line, with some toner or face wash, but I have yet to find natural stuff that I like (or is in my price range). I'm almost out of my powder foundation as well, and will be picking up some organic stuff. I'll share how that works when I finally make my purchase!

Now, tomorrow is my last day of eating crap for about 5 days. I'll be doing a detox with the hopes of dumbing down by coffee/dairy addiction. I will probably be documenting what I do for my detox on here. It wont be a dangerous one either, I've done research, and I've created my own food plan that works with me and my schedule.

tata!

Fight Stress With A Healthier Lifestyle

I previously posted a little blurp about what I learned helps with finding happiness and peace of mind, and lately I've been looking for more healthy habits to help out with it all. What it all comes down to is life is what you make it, and if you have no means to fight against stress and negativity, then that is just sad. I hate to be blunt about it, but its true. Who doesn't want to feel better about life? Who doesn't want a little piece of happiness that you earned yourself?

Every little aspect of your life can cause stress and anxiety, even when you may not think about it. What you eat, how you sleep, the way you spend your free time, your work, your friends. Everything created in this world that you interact with may have a cause, and you can choose how to react and handle it. I've been doing quite a bit of research on the matter, and although a lot of it is diet based (which I will do an entry on soon), I've learned quite a bit more that you can do with your daily habits

• Exercise really can help you in every aspect of your life. It gets your blood and heart pumping, and reminds your body is alive and strong. It not only wakes you up, but it can help fight against stress, and certain diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and cardiovascular disease. What is a little less stress like knowing you are treating your body to something it deserves?
• If you don't have time for exercise, take an extra step. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to work instead of driving. I walk 50 minutes to work, and 50 minutes back every day, and although it is taxing after a days work, it also feels far more rewarding than taking the bus or making someone drive me. A good 9 times out of 10, I will refuse a ride that is offered to me.
• Take long walks! Very much related to the upper two, taking a long walk can help you burn calories, as a form of exercise, but I also find it incredibly relaxing. Walking is my thinking time, where I can refresh my mind, remind myself of my goals and dreams, or maybe even work through an issue in my head that I'd much work out on my own than speaking to someone. It lowers my stress levels, and who knows, if you try it out, you might find it will lower yours as well.
• Regulate your sleeping habits. It may be difficult at first, but once you make yourself go to bed earlier and wake up earlier, you will find it far more rewarding than late nights and late mornings. I never really knew that my sleeping habits had such a negative effect on me, not only physically, but mentally, until I started sleeping less and earlier. I use to stay up as late as 4-5am, and wake up around 2-3pm the next day if my schedule allowed it, and I always felt sluggish and exhausted. Now that I go to bed around 10-11pm and wake up around 6-7am, I feel so lively and proactive. I find I get more done during the day. Here's some tips and facts about bad sleeping:
• Earlier bedtime helps avoid late night snacking. Remember, the later you eat, the slower you digestive system is.
• Studies say that the earlier you go to bed, the more you sleep through the night uninterrupted.
• It can help ease or avoid insomnia.
• The average adult should be getting no more and no less than 7-8 hours of sleep. That means that 8.15 hours is too much, and 6.75 hours is too little.
• If your alarm goes off once, GET UP. The more you press the snooze bar, the more you are training your body to sleep more than it needs. Methods to help get up the first time:
• Will it. I know I can, but I know that not everyone can.
• Have someone help you. Your parent, your significant other.
• Put your alarm where you have to get up to turn it off. This use to help me back in high school, because often times, once you get up, you are up. 
• To go to bed earlier, avoid sitting in front of any kind of media for more than thirty minutes before you go to bed. No TV, no tablets, no computer, no cell phones.
• Try reading a book for half an hour
• Stretch for half an hour
• Go on a long walk
• Don't eat with in 1-2 hours before you go to bed. Again, the later you eat, the slower your digestive system. Also food gives you a little bit of energy, and causes you to want to stay up later. Perhaps, instead, drink a cup of tea!
• You will find that if you wake up earlier, you will have a much more alive and productive day!
• Remember to take time out of every day to do something YOU ENJOY. I mean it, guys. If you take even half an hour out every day to draw or write, play with your dog, go on a walk, it will make you feel so much better. Because its something you love doing, and you aren't neglecting it otherwise.
• On the same note, don't spend so much time thinking, spend more time doing. I often find myself thinking about a project or something I need to get done, and perhaps spending so much time thinking about it that it never really does get done. I know so many people do this, but is it really worth the time wasted, thinking about it? How much do you think you'd actually get done if you just sat down and did it? And how rewarding it would be after its finally done? You need to be your own self motivator. For example, I've spent probably over a year about starting a real blog, and I'm just now doing it. I feel bad for waiting that long, but now that I'm actually working on it, I feel pretty awesome. :3
• Plan it. One thing I do to calm down is list making. This, also, I have found, has caused me to make a lot of 'To Do' lists, which later morphed into a time management schedule. It has made my life a little bit more organized and I enjoy it very much. Every night, I write a list of things I want to accomplish, or need to get done the next day, and anything that doesn't get done after that day is over, gets transferred to the next day until it eventually is done. I have found that less things get pushed back if I kind of obligate myself to do it. I've found this to cause me much less stress as well.
• Purge your surroundings. I recently downsized so dramatically that I have a 3rd of the belongings I use to, and my stuff continues to become less and less. Hording and clutter causes stress, and yes, I understand that you love little novelties, but don't you think since its shoved in a box that you probably shouldn't keep it around when it could have a better home? Do you need all of those silly love notes from your former heartbreaks? How often are you going to look at your elementary school projects? Are you really going to read that book? Don't think 'eventually'. 'Eventually' to me means that you will only look at it when you are moving and accidentally come across it, have a brief feeling of nostalgia, or want to do that project, then toss it back into the clutter where you will not think about it again for another year or two when you accidentally come across it once more. I'm not saying throw out every memory. I have a little tiny shoe box of old memories I was willing to keep, wrapped up in a quilt my grandma made me when I was a baby, and my dad's old old jacket. But that's all I'm willing to keep.
• Laughter is the best remedy. I truly believe this. So many people roll their eyes when someone says 'Laughter is the best medicine', but since when has momentary joy and laughter caused any stress aside from a little pain in the abdomen? In my opinion, that pain is totally worth it, because I always feel great after a good laugh. How you obtain your smiles is up to you, you know you better than I do. Grab your favorite comedy, your dearest friend, your puppy, whatever makes you smile the most.
• Friends. Even if you are a bit of a hermit, like me, its good to surround yourself with friends, and even go out with them from time to time. But make sure they are people you enjoy, who make you happy. Many of us have friends we 'tolerate', who don't make us feel very good, or don't have a lot in common with us, and I think that is just cruddy. I'm not saying that you should stop talking to them, but that you should reach out, spread your horizons of friendships, be it locally, or online if that makes you more comfortable, and find friends who do make you happy, who you can spend a lot of time with and not be annoyed at, who have things in common with you, who make you smile.
• Judge less, be kinder to those around you. Remember that if you look at someone negatively, that even if they notice it or not, they feel some of that negativity that you are sending to them. Many people feel self conscious and they don't know why, because those around them are always judging and feeding them bad energy. Judge people less, smile more, compliment more, and you will notice that someone with there head usually hung will look up and be a little more confident. Positivity spreads, and you feel a little better when you make someone else feel a little better, even if they are a stranger.

I'll tie it up for now, but I really wanted to share some more things to do to help promote good mental health.

I've been trying to do daily outfits, but my place is still a mess with boxes after the move, annnnnd my phone is broken, so aside from my boyfriend's big clunky tablet, and my bad webcam, I don't have the best system for photo taking. -sigh- I'm doing some skin care steps, I will let you know how that works out as well.

Let the Transformation Begin!

YEAH! Just like that! I'm a magical girl after all! Right? No?... not so much?

Apparently, it isn't that easy. I don't have a magic wand and a command that just transforms me into a sailor scout, or anything like that. A real transformation of a person takes time. It is something many of us know very well. And something many of us give up on far too easily. I have asked many of you to join me on my journey through my transformation, and through my journey in search of good health and positivity! While I go through the steps of loving myself, and making my body healthy and happy, I hope some of you to go through the steps with me.

Between each rant and tips for good health, I will be posting about what I have learned on how to take care of myself, both body and soul. I will research better and more natural ways than what I know, and if anyone has a question, I would be more than happy to research the answer to that question, even experiment with it, and share my results with you with a blog entry. I hope to post every day, after all.

I also believe I need to make it clear that I intend on using methods that are in more of an all natural/organic route. As in, any products I use will be organic, and lacking in some of the harsh chemicals put into a lot of products. I will also be looking for methods that don't require products at all.

Anyways, now, I just want to share a little itinerary of what I hope to accomplish over my transformation:

• First, My Skin. I want to conquer my skin issue. We all have acne. Some have it worse than others. And I don't have it that bad, but it does make me self-conscious, and I am determined to fix it. I also have a red nose and rosy cheeks that are pretty drastic compared to the pale of my skin. To top it all off, I have raccoon eyes. I'm talking serious bags beneath my eyes. People tell me its not that bad, but that's what they say seeing me with make-up on.

I was going to do this part in a vlog, but I decided I talk way too much, and nixed the idea. So, here's a picture of me a little bit ago. I had just washed my face, and I'm a little frazzled after the day. Sorry! Anyways, I circled my danger areas that I mentioned above, and this is mostly what I will be focusing on when researching and experimenting.

• My Hair is a terrible weakness of mine. I have no idea how to do hair. I have no clue how to control it, how to style it, or how to even dry it properly. I just default to braids or a little bun if I need to put it up. Other than that, I just let it go. I usually try and rock some fringe bangs, but I've quickly found that keeping those maintained is ridiculously hard with the rate in which my hair grows, not to mention, my silly cowlicks that I have no control over. It is super fine, which means it will not hold anything. Bah.

Way to look crazy. This is how it is down.

• My Body is fine in many people's eyes. Yes, I understand I am already small. But that doesn't mean I am healthy. The next time I hear someone tell me 'You are so tiny, you don't need to lose any more weight' I will deck. I'm serious. For one, I rarely say 'I want to lose weight' anymore, but so many people just assume its a weight issue when I say I would like to be in better shape. Seriously, I know so many people who are my size and smaller abusing their bodies with junk food and laziness. Even I have suffered from that, but I have been running and eating healthier, and I want to make a goal of that to continue that as long as I live. I'm still in the beginning stages, so I'll still have plenty of things to share about what I manage to do and learn.

• My Sense of Fashion. One thing on my bucket list is to have a *successful* fashion blog, where I wear things I make and find, and share things with other fashion savvy people. Pffft, what a dream. But I've seen crazier things be done, and I know if I tried hard enough, I can do it. Baby steps. So my wardrobe is a disaster. Thus why I am doing daily outfits... (which is currently on pause from moving.)

• My Attitude could be a lot worse, but it still isn't the best. I still find myself cussing and acting very unladylike, as well as thinking or saying mean things about people from time to time. I have no right to judge ANYONE, and I need to embed that into my brain. I also let bad things effect me for the rest of the day sometimes. As well, I feel like I need to act more professional, and make it seem like I care about being so. That last part is exceptionally hard for me, because I am obnoxiously shy, and have trouble communicating with people of authority (also making food orders is a challenge).

• My Spirituality is lost. I don't know whether I'm agnostic, or religious, or just spiritual. I don't know what I believe in, but I want to find peace of mind, and I believe that finding that will help my overall attitude.

That about sums it up. All of this, as I experience it all, will branch off into different topics of discussion, new journeys, lessons I learn that I can share, etc.

I hope y'all will join me!

Seeya!

When Life Gives You the One-Two Punch

It happens to all of us, definitely more than once in our lives. Sometimes it feels like that is all our life is, when every moment we are... well... as Thorin and Gandalf put it in the new Hobbit film... 'out of the frying pan, and into the fire'. Although, they may have meant that they were being thrown into one danger into the next with no room to recover, it can still apply falling from one stressful situation into the next. I bring this all up, because I have been experiencing it myself of late. I was hoping to have a new blog entry on a more consistent basis, perhaps daily, but I just haven't had the time, or the spirits to do it, along side with daily outfits.

I wont go into any details of whats happening in my life, but it really would mean a lot to me for you all to do me a favor:
When life keeps spinning and it won't slow down, don't forget that you have something to grab onto to steady yourself. Friends. Family. Loved ones. Don't let this world beat you down, because I know for a fact, that if you will it, and you reach out for help when it is needed, and you keep your head up, that you will have the strength to pull yourself through it all, and it will get better. Don't let your stress, your worries bottle up and explode. Talk to someone, or if you don't necessarily want to talk about what is weighing you down, just hang out with someone you enjoy. Trust me, it keeps you sane. I know there are some of you out there who don't have a lot of friends locally, but there is always people who will love you on the internet too. I know that sounds weird, but if nothing else, I will love you. :3 And we can get through this together.

Keep your heads up, my friends!

You Can Take Your Life By The Reigns

Remember that, my friends. It is a difficult, cruel world out there, but if you let all of that get you down, and keep yourself from the potential in you, then what is the point really? I am a firm believer that the only person who can make you happy is YOU. And that goes hand in hand with the fact that only YOU can make positive changes to YOUR LIFE.

Now, don't think I'm trying to say that bad things wont happen if you do stay positive, but I just want you to know that if you keep your head up, and brush yourself off when the bad things do happen, that it will be that much easier to overcome.

I've suffered through some bad things, just like anyone else. I recently pulled myself out of depression, although I am still not 100% sure if it was depression. I say this, because I did tend to be super stubborn when it came to my emotions, and I was convinced I was fine, while everyone around me could see I was not. Sure, it took a huge move away from my home town to get me to recognize I was in a very deep, 20 year funk. A year ago, I moved to my current location, blind to knowing anyone, didn't know the location all that well, no job lined up, and no solid plan. It was scary, but as soon as I jumped over that hurdle, I promised I would build a new person, and I could see that I really had not been happy in the least. Its hard to recognize sometimes when those negative feelings are just something you are use to.

I'm not saying you have to make a big move in order to find peace of mind, or happiness, but there are so many baby steps you can take. I have a few suggestions (at least things that help me), if you'd like to see them:

1. Make extra effort doing the little things you enjoy be it drawing, writing, reading, going out with friends, out for coffee, taking long walks, watching your favorite film. It doesn't matter how busy you are, or *think* you are, if you just take a little time out of every day, or every other day to do something you like, it may help you relax and feel better at least for a little bit.
2. Make a list! A list of anything at all! I love list making, and it really helps me calm down and put things into perspective. I write lists of what I want to do that day, week, or month. I write lists about my favorite films, where I want to travel, my life goals, anything!
3. Make a short term goal! Long term goals are awesome and all, but we often make them and get overwhelmed by how much we have to do to obtain them, or how far in the future it might take. A short term goal is easier to focus on, and is much less stressful and can often be just as rewarding. Currently, my short term goal is to play the G scale on my mandolin without making any mistakes. ^^
4. Take a mental day off! From everything! If you can call in, cancel your plans with friends, or get a babysitter for your kids, and just get away for a while, or even just relax at home, drink some tea, read a book, lay out in the sun. It is really relieving to do such a thing. Some of us are so obsessed with filling every day of the week with something, and wonder why we are so stressed all the time. It is okay to have a lazy day every once and a while.

I'm sure my list could go on, but just remember when life gets you down, there are ways to make yourself feel better. Don't rely on anyone else to do it for you.

My Daily Photos:

I desperately need a new camera...

What Is WRONG WITH ME!

Oh, not much really. Just self conscious as always. Just like many of us out there. We are in an age where everything is about beauty, everything is about jealousy, everything is about US.

I'm not sure I quite understand the need for everyone to talk down to everyone else. Why we need to say those mean and cruel things about those around us just to make ourselves feel better. And do some of us even realize how much those things we say hurt those they are targeted at? We are making our society self conscious, and we are unwilling to open our eyes to see that. None of us are willing to sympathize with others, to reach out our hand and say "I know how you feel, why don't we face this world together instead of against each other."

I am a fighter against all things negative.

I haven't always been this way. I won't say that I am a classic beauty. I wouldn't even say I'm pretty at all, but I do fall under the 'cute' category in many people's eyes. I'm not very photogenic, but here's a little example.

I'll start off by saying, before I get to my point, that it use to get to my head, when people called me 'cute' all the time. That means I was a step above average, I was above ugly, I was above others, and it turned me into somewhat of a troll. Like I had justification to poke fun at others who had no idea that anyone would be so mean in the first place. I, now, do not think anyone is below me. I don't think anyone is above me either. We are all equal in beauty, in strength, in intelligence. I know this, and yet I'm struggling through a little self consciousness, just like anyone else, at this moment.

Just the other day, I was walking home from work, still in my uniform, which is your classic pair of beige khakis, and I'm usually sporting some white or beige jacket or sweater, because I actually own a lot of things in those colors, and my uniform requires white shoes. To put it frankly, I looked like a total dork. I was in basically an all white outfit, and my hair was in a bun, stringy and everywhere from pushing around bins and folding laundry all day. Two girls passing by me took notice right away, from which they stopped, pointed and actually laughed at me, saying 'look at this girl', right in front of me. Any other day, I would have just worn that, and sure, people would have stared a little, but I'm going home in my work uniform, how is that weird? People walk by me in their scrubs all the time, because I live near a hospital. Its not strange to me. But these girls hit a sore spot by being so blatantly cruel to laugh at someone like that. And I quickly realized that it hurt so bad, because I use to do that to others, although not straight to their faces. I still have friends who do that, thus why I no longer have facebook, just so I can avoid the anger I feel when they post a picture or a rude comment talking someone else down. Its naive, and cruel.

While that incident was already while I was contemplating this blog, it really pushed my mind to another level. I moved to this town fairly recently and it has really changed my point of view on everything. I have a rather huge, but very very uneducated interest in fashion. I am decent at admiring and pointing out things that are flattering on other people, but I don't know the first thing about dressing myself. And I'm not very confident anymore, especially living near a college where being in shape and being pretty are very important. It actually motivated me to at least lose a few pounds, which I accidentally pushed to a bad level, having dropped 25lbs in the past year, when I probably would have been find just losing 5 or 10. That being said, despite being pretty underweight now, I'm healthier than I have ever been. I've turned into a super health nut when it comes to food, and I do yoga daily, as well as running regularly. It might have a little to do with the fact that I work at a gym as well. But now that I'm down a couple pant sizes as well as a couple bra sizes, none of my clothes fit anymore!

So, here is my proposal for this blog. A full on transformation. I'm already headed in that direction mentally, filling myself with positivity and good energy. I'm going to change my habits from internet and gaming geek, to booknerd, nature geek, and DIY savvy. And I'm going to change my entire wardrobe, the way I do my hair, the way I take care of myself.

So, why did I go on that rant about self consciousness and negative comments towards others? Because I want you to go on this journey with me. If you have anything negative to say about yourself, if people make fun of you, if you are overweight, underweight, don't know how to dress, feel unhealthy, having trouble making friends, whatever it is, I want you to come with me. We will work this out together. I want to start a revolution of positive and beautiful people, inside and out.

On here, to start off, I will post things I'm learning, as well as daily photos of my outfits, new healthy recipes, and if you wish to take this journey with me, we will swap stories, photos, and find the beauty in this world. If we make something successful, I'll move off of blogger and onto something else.

Here are my biggest inspirations right now:
http://galadarling.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMj_P_6H69g

And some daily photos I've made recently:

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you sooooooon!

http://theoriginalnunky.deviantart.com/
http://kikununki.tumblr.com/