Being Thankful

Today's post was completely unplanned. In fact, I wasn't supposed to have time to blog at all this morning. If things had gone according to plan, I'd be scurrying out the door soon, on my way to Baton Rouge for my first LSU football game. I'd been looking forward to this for weeks and was so excited to reunite with some of my mission friends! I even bought a new dress for the occasion! 

Instead, I'm still in my pajamas, sitting in bed eating Eggo waffles with peanut butter and Nutella, and drowning my sorrows in chocolate almond milk. 

Of course, like many of my plans, today's seemed to fall apart. My dad suddenly decided that even though I've made the solo drive into the city before, I am no longer capable. He put his foot down and no amount of reasoning, begging, or tears could sway his decision. 

So now I sit, trying with all my might to be thankful and see a silver lining, when all I want to do is cry. 

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It's so much easier to be thankful when everything is going your way, but times when we don't get what we want are when we've got to work that much harder to be grateful for what we already have.

I guess I'm thankful for loving parents, even if they show their love in the most ridiculous, nonsensical ways sometimes. I'm thankful for the friends that won't hate me, even though they went through the trouble of finding me a ticket to the game. I'm thankful for the sorority sisters who are still trying to show me silver linings ("More time to craft for your little!" & "You can come to the Nicholls game, now!").

I'm only letting myself be sad for thirty more minutes, then I'll dry my eyes, get dressed (maybe), and get to work on those crafts! Only 2 more days till Big/Little Week!

Sincere Compliments

In my 19 years of experience, I've noticed that people can sometimes have a hard time with the subject of compliments, both receiving and giving.

Maybe I'm just super vain (lets hope that's not it), but I, like most breathing humans, love getting compliments. In fact, I'd venture to say that most people do, but people don't give enough of them.

How often do you find yourself thinking highly of a friend, or bragging about your awesome friend, but never actually telling this friend what you think?

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Why does it seem so much easier to spread gossip and bad energy around when we could be spreading good energy and positive vibes instead?

I've decided that from now on, whenever I catch myself talking someone up, I'm going to make it a point to tell that person. I think others deserve to know when you're thinking of them positively.

We did an activity at one of our sorority retreats this summer where everyone taped a piece of paper on her back and went around writing anonymous compliments. This was definitely a top-ten Phi Mu moment for me. Of course, being the hoarder that I am, I saved my sheet for the dark days.

With that being said, maybe you could make it your goal for the week to give at least one sincere compliment a day? Let's start spreading the good vibes :)

What's your favorite compliment to receive? 

Pep-talks to Myself

It's Monday.

Finals are upon us.

I'm sitting in my post-formal disaster-area of a dorm room on a sheet-less bed, and all I can think about is the novel I'd be reading if I didn't have a headache from Hades.

I'll probably be sending an SOS out soon.

Right about now, I'm needing a pep-talk (and maybe an iced latte).

Naturally, I turned to Google because all of my friends are at the library being productive or something like that.

Here's what I found.


One // A Pep Talk from Kid President to You



My favorite line: We've got work to do. We can cry about it, or we can dance about it. 


Two // Ryan Gossling "Hey Girl" Memes

Thanks, Ryan. Love you. 

Images from here and here.

Three // This article from Binghamton University's Pipe Dream

Shout out to Odeya Pinkus for writing such a fun article. I've never met you. I probably never will, but you put a smile on my face today, Odeya. Thank you. 

Picking my favorite line was tough, but these two gems made me chuckle. 

"On the topic of being prepared, there are things that you need to know as you embark on this journey. Know that you will see more pictures of textbooks on Instagram than you ever needed to. Know that just because someone tweeted about Starbucks coffee, it doesn’t mean that he or she is any more awake than you are."

“If you can dream it, you can do it,” Walt Disney famously said before jumping into his icy time capsule. (But don’t worry, he’ll be back.) Listen to the man whose company eventually kickstarted Britney Spears’ career. She can do it, and so can you.

I feel better already, don't you? 

Now to procrastinate a little more by cleaning my room, working out, more blogging, and then maybe I'll put a dent in this Fitzgerald novel! 

Wish me luck!

Think Happy Thoughts

How do you keep your spirits up? 

Do you listen to happy music? Focus on the beauty in nature? Dress up? Surround yourself with friends? Read good books? Do whatever it is that you love? All of the above?

Me too! In fact, that's what I've been up to for the past few days and I'm proud to announce the following:
I've checked off another number from my 20 before 20 list! 

20. Actually dance like no one's watching at socials. 

I was really excited to check this one off since it was one that I thought I would just put off until never "forget about it."

I've already mentioned how I've had anxiety at socials. I'm not one to dance in front of people. Ever.
(Sorry for making you spend five years of our lives bringing me to dance class, Mom.)

Well, last night was different, in the perfect kind of way. I had absolutely zero cares about what I looked like or who was or wasn't watching. It turned out to be such a great night with friends.

I really think that it's because I went into it with the mindset that I was just going to have fun.

Ever since I wrote that 'Banish Negativity' post, I've been in such a great mood. I'm not taking credit for that all by myself, though.
While I do believe that you control your own emotions, the Lord's hand has definitely been in this.

Also, my friends have been absolute rock stars this week. They help me see the good in the world. It's in all of them. Every. Single. One.

It's because of my amazing sorority sisters that I was finally able to relax and just have fun. 

They're also the reasons I've really noticed this week just how beautiful nature is. I joked that I'll have more pictures of sunsets, rainbows, and blue skies on my phone than pictures of people if this mood is here to stay.

Here's to another fabulous week full of more sunshine, blue skies, and good company.

Now for for photo-highlights from last week! 

Therapeutic painting.

Sunrise...

...Sunset

Just hanging out...

Cheesy selfies on an absolutely gorgeous Friday afternoon. Clover crowns optional.  

And my only photo evidence of the above-mentioned social! #DropItLikeItsYacht

Banish Negativity

Don't you just hate when you don't feel like yourself?

It's such a funny thing to think about, really. I mean, you're still you. Same name and eye color and everything, yet somehow it seems like you're watching yourself from someone else's point of view. An out-of-body experience, if you will.

I've been in a bit of a funk for the past few days. Stressed from school, the newspaper, sorority stuff, and a few other things that are piling up.

Last night, I was presented with what I thought would be the perfect opportunity to calm down and hang out with some friends at a party (the fact that it was a Tuesday night and so unusually spontaneous should've put me on my guard). It was supposed to be fun.

Instead, I found myself in a really bad place (Very unlike the good place I bragged about two weeks ago). I was feeling so anxious, extremely self-conscious, and very confused.

My new computer background. 

I've really gotten better about not comparing myself to others since last year. I'm typically the kind of girl who takes special note of the background in "the big picture." I try to keep mantras like "everyone is different and everyone is beautiful" or "No one is worthless" going in my head.

All of a sudden, though, in that moment, all of my friends were prettier than me. They were skinnier than me, and just more fun to be around than I was. They could dance better and didn't care about any of the other eyes in the room. In that moment, I desperately wanted to just be like them, but all I could see were our differences. I kept thinking, "This was a mistake. I shouldn't be here. I don't belong. Certainly, they don't want me here. Look how much fun they're having, and look at me, one step shy of a breakdown over here by the pool table."

Our own minds can be our biggest enemies and our dreariest jail cells.

And at times like these when all that is just the tip of the iceberg, one of the only ways I know how to deal with these situations are heart-to-hearts with my best friends.

In my opinion, one of the best qualities in a person is "good listener." In the this touch screen digital age, sometimes we forget about the power in face-to-face communication. There's definitely a healing power in company and conversation.

I was able to talk with one of my best friends after the party, and she gave me some advice that really worked for me. She told me to go to night prayer at my church and pray about it.

I did just that and heard exactly what I needed to hear from the Lord.

Matthew 6:25-34 

How do you deal with anxiety and worries?